- Bring the Netflix app to newer Google TV devices
- With an ad-supported Netflix subscription, streaming is no longer possible
- The change came without warning and was not explained.
Netflix has decided to disable one of the most useful features of its Android and iOS apps without warning: you can no longer stream Netflix videos wirelessly from your phone to new Google TV devices like Google TV Streamer and Chromecast with Google TV.
You can still cast from the Netflix app to older Chromecast devices (devices without a remote, like the Google Nest Hub), but only if you pay for a more expensive Netflix tier. One big change is that you can no longer stream the plan with ads.
If you’re at home and have the Netflix app on your TV or streaming device, this won’t be a problem. However, it is something that travelers often use, for example in hotels, and is also useful when visiting friends and family.
I’ve often used Google’s simple streaming technology to watch Netflix on my phone while taking care of my friends’ houses, pets, and kids, which means I don’t have to worry about setting up another TV. It’s also very useful if you’re staying at places like Airbnb, but obviously not useful enough for Netflix to want to keep it.
It is for our own good
(RANT) Netflix no longer offers streaming support. Now you have to use the app directly on the transmitter without your phone. Of r/Chromecast
Other the edgeThere is no explanation as to why this useful feature has been abandoned or even largely enabled. the official support page. This is similar to what Netflix did with Apple AirPlay in 2019, saying it helps the streaming service ensure it meets a certain “viewing quality standard.”
According to one angry user redditNetflix again believes this will improve the customer experience, likely because apps installed on a real TV or streaming dongle would be more reliable and not require wireless streaming.
This isn’t the first (nor the last) time in the tech world that a decision that was bad for users has apparently been presented as good for users. From third-party Reddit apps to Reels-first Instagram, we’re regularly told that what’s best for tech companies is also best for us.
By removing Google Casting technology (along with AirPlay), Netflix now knows more about the hardware you’re using, giving you more control over what devices you’re watching and where you’re connected, without outside intervention.