Netflix without workaround: Meta makes it possible! Soon, you will be able to enjoy the streaming service directly from your VR headset’s browser.
In the coming days, Meta will make it possible to use Netflix through the Meta Quest web browser. Until now, access to the streaming service has been blocked in the browser. Users will then be able to enjoy Netflix content either on a flat 2D screen or in a curved view that simulates a movie theater experience.
Netflix released a native app for search back in 2019, but it hasn’t been updated since. Video resolution is limited to a paltry 480p. To get around these limitations, some users have previously resorted to workarounds like sideloading the Android app or accessing it through the virtual desktop feature. With the upcoming browser support, this will no longer be necessary.
No native Netflix app planned for Vision Pro for now
While Meta improves the use of Netflix on the Quest, Apple’s Vision Pro will also have to make do without a dedicated Netflix app. Vision Pro users will also have to switch to the browser — in this case, Safari — to stream Netflix content.
Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters explained the decision in an interview. When developing apps for new platforms, the company always weighs the effort required against the potential benefit to subscribers. At this point, the Vision Pro user base is too small to justify the investment. However, Peters does not rule out the possibility that Netflix could change its mind as Vision Pro evolves.
Whether Meta and Apple can convince the streaming giant to develop native VR apps for its headsets in the future remains to be seen. For now, though, users will have to make do with browser solutions to enjoy services like Netflix on their VR headsets.
Source: Mixed News
