Concern of change is an actual factor. There’s even a reputation for it: metathesiophobia.
Netflix subscribers are apparently a metathesiophobic bunch, as a result of when the streaming service made an overhaul to its app interface with an “upgraded TV expertise” again in Might 2025, the web boards lit up, with one Reddit person condemning the up to date interface as “borderline unusable.”
TechRadar readers, too, joined the refrain of complaints. When my colleague Tom Powers reported on the Netflix UI kerfuffle, his publish drew feedback reminiscent of “the interface is such a catastrophe it really makes me really feel rage.” Additionally: “My spouse has movement illness points and the brand new UI made her dizzy and nauseous.”
I’m an on-and-off Netflix subscriber, and that’s primarily as a result of there’s a wealth of issues to look at on the greatest streaming companies, and I are inclined to burn by way of the good things on Netflix pretty shortly. However the image and sound high quality of Netflix originals is great, with many getting Dolby Imaginative and prescient and Dolby Atmos help, and as somebody who often checks the greatest TVs, I are inclined to let my subscription linger so I can use Netflix reveals as a supply for my opinions.
It had been some time since I had logged on to Netflix. As you may think, after I re-upped my subscription earlier this summer time, I used to be in for a giant shock.
‘Borderline Unusable’
I don’t precisely discover the up to date Netflix interface to be borderline unusable. It’s annoying, nonetheless, and jogs my memory a lot of the Amazon Prime Video interface, which is equally user-unfriendly, although not as unhealthy as the brand new Netflix.
Listed below are the principle issues that I dislike in regards to the new interface. Once you fireplace up the Netflix app in your TV, the homescreen is absolutely dominated by a really helpful program based mostly in your current viewing historical past (see picture at prime for an instance). You don’t even get an opportunity to decide on something – a full-motion preview clip mechanically begins enjoying, with a loud soundtrack in some circumstances.
When you get better from the trauma of that have (I’m solely half-joking), get your bearings, and scroll down the display screen to browse the horizontal rows of program classes reminiscent of Proceed Watching, My Checklist, and many others., the primary tile in every row blows as much as an enlarged measurement and likewise mechanically performs a preview clip for that program.
Movement illness? Dizzy and nauseous? I can’t say I’ve felt any of these issues when navigating the brand new Netflix interface, however there’s now an ungainly and overly kinetic high quality to shopping it that I discover unappealing. Extra problematic, the ballooning course of cuts down the variety of tiles in any row from six to 4, successfully decreasing the quantity of knowledge you possibly can entry visually onscreen.
Discover a program that appears fascinating? Deciding on any tile within the Netflix interface shortly fills the display screen with a full-motion preview, as if to shove your choice in your face.
Additionally, the sooner model of Netflix allow you to simply add a program to your library by clicking a Plus button onscreen. That button is now hidden within the new interface, and you want to scroll all the way down to entry it. I’m unsure why, however for some purpose, I discover this minor change to be essentially the most egregious factor of the brand new Netflix.
‘I’ll cancel my subscription’
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Sure, I’ll ultimately cancel my Netflix subscription, probably after I end the brand new Spike Lee Hurricane Katrina documentary and re-watch 28 Years Later (coming Saturday, September 20), and I received’t miss that up to date interface whereas I’m gone.
Within the meantime, I’d advocate the Netflix UI designers check out Apple TV+, HBO Max, and particularly The Criterion Channel to get an concept of what a delightful, informative, and user-friendly app interface seems like.
Within the case of Apple TV+ and The Criterion Channel (see examples above), most display screen area is dedicated to program tiles when shopping, and people tiles are absolutely readable. Extra importantly, they don’t aggressively kick into autoplay of a preview whenever you hover over them.
The principle HBO Max homescreen does lean into previews, however there’s extra data to soak up when shopping, and there’s none of that ballooning, jump-scare auto-play when hovering over a tile. There may be additionally a vertical menu bar on the left facet of the display screen that provides you extra shopping choices – a helpful characteristic HBO Max shares with Apple TV+.
Netflix has apparently pushed again at subscribers complaining about its up to date interface, characterizing them as a vocal minority. For Netflix, that is “an improved interface that highlights what issues most to you.”
I’ll grant that there are some updates I like, such because the expanded program data for every title, and the improved My Netflix hub. However for essentially the most half, I miss the previous Netflix, and I’m clearly not alone.
