netflix.com/app

Netflix is easily the most popular streaming service, the most widely used, and the one that has the most cache as a household name. It has had a significant impact on global culture, and its popularity is only increasing. Whether you have your own Netflix account or not, chances are you know someone who does and have been able to wrest their password from them at one point or another. Netflix had a near monopoly on streaming content for a while, and people would say things like, "I'll have to Netflix that when I get home" or "before Netflix, nobody ever spoke about watching content in terms of 'binging.'" Thanks to Netflix, the phrase "Netflix and chill" has entered the popular lexicon, and series that are binge-worthy or keep you on the edge of your seat are now considered better.

Netflix has completely changed the way we consume media. Prior to Netflix, we used to watch television one episode at a time. And we usually had to wait a full week for the next episode to be released. Sure, there are still shows and networks that use this now archaic way of releasing TV episodes, but Netflix changed the game entirely. They began making full seasons of their original and syndicated series available at a time, resulting in people taking in all the content that they could stomach in one sitting. The world of movies and television is forever changed thanks to Netflix?s innovative platform.

Netflix changed the way people view content by making it easy to watch shows and movies on demand. It was one of the first streaming services to offer an easy to use mobile app, too.

When the Netflix app first burst on the scene, it blew people's minds. The app was truly revolutionary in how we are able to consume content, where and when as well.

The Netflix app has held up well in the current age of premium streaming services, where there are many app options. App ratings on the Apple App Store show generally favorable feedback, implying that people are generally satisfied with the Netflix app. Compared to other apps, like Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, which may not be as highly rated, the Netflix app seems to be well-liked.

Out of 176,000 individual ratings (and counting), the Netflix app has an average score of 4.1 out of 5 stars. This is not bad at all, especially when you consider the abysmally low ratings of competitive apps, such as HBO Max and HBO Go. But still, this might not be quite as high as expected. So what is it, then, about the Netflix app that causes people to occasionally rate it 1 or 2 stars? Well, let's dive in and take a look, shall we?

Design

The Netflix app in 2020 will look different than it has in the past. It will be more like a social media app, with titles appearing somewhat like they would on a news feed on Instagram. You can browse by genre on the left, but at the top of the page you will find a list of previews that you can click. The design is reminiscent of Instagram or Snapchat, where you are able to view the stories of users. Netflix has borrowed this design for their trailers, having each one of their top titles appear at the top of the home section like a social media story might.

Whereas I find this interface to be irrelevant and not helpful at all, I don't know if it is the best design for an app like Netflix. If I were in charge of the design team, I would probably make things more streamlined and not borrow design techniques from social media just for the sake of it. I would probably prefer it if previews of a title could be accessed by holding your finger over a given show or movie instead of dedicating a whole section of an already cramped app to it - how many people really watch previews on Netflix anyway?

There are a few other sections to the Netflix app that are worth discussing, too. One thing that the Netflix app offers that make it more mobile-friendly than the original website or Smart TV version of Netflix is the way in which you can download content, making it playable offline. This is great for traveling, allowing you to preselect what you might want to watch on a lengthy airplane trip (without having to shell out cash for onboard wi-fi, that is).

The notifications section allows you to keep track of your favorite titles and shows, letting you know when new episodes of a series you follow are up or if a new movie that you are likely to enjoy has been added to the library. This all results in a very customizable and personalized experience, the likes of which you would expect from an app from such a premium service.

Content

The Netflix app may not offer any additional content. But that's okay. The Netflix library is already so vast (and constantly growing) that no additional content is necessary. That being said, you won't have to sacrifice any content either. If a title is available on Netflix, you can watch it on your phone or tablet using the Netflix app. The downloads, however, may be seen as additional content, since you can build up your own library of movies and shows that you don't need an internet connection to view.

Pricing and Plans

you may have to choose which device you want to watch on. There is no additional cost or subscription for the Netflix app. If you already subscribe to Netflix, the app is automatically included with your account. However, note that using the Netflix app counts as adding a device to your account. This means if your account has a limited number of devices that can be used at a given time (most do), you may have to choose which device you want to watch on.

Suggestions that I have for the Netflix App

I think that returning to an older app design, which looked less like a social network and more like a streaming service, would be the best start. Additionally, it would be great if the Netflix app allowed users to create their own personalized playlists of movies and TV shows, so that when they're on the go, they can just throw on a good mix of content for a given situation and let it play through. Other than that, I think the Netflix app is an expertly executed premium streaming app.