By: Dipin Sehdev
In a significant step toward evolving its user experience, Netflix has unveiled a sweeping redesign of its tvOS app, alongside new experimental features on iOS that leverage generative AI and vertical video browsing. The tvOS redesign will begin rolling out globally over the next few weeks, continuing into the coming months. On the mobile side, iOS users in select markets will soon gain access to two new features: an AI-powered search experience and a TikTok-style discovery feed—both in early testing phases.
This marks one of Netflix’s most notable user interface refreshes in years, and it signals a broader ambition: to make discovering content not just easier, but more intuitive and personalized. In a media landscape increasingly driven by engagement and personalization, Netflix’s latest moves underscore its desire to stay one step ahead of user expectations—and the competition.
A Fresh Look for Netflix on tvOS
Netflix Chief Product Officer Eunice Kim and Chief Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone formally introduced the changes in a press briefing on May 8, 2025. The revamped tvOS app is designed to be sleeker, more responsive, and significantly more helpful when it comes to finding something to watch.
“When we first started thinking about this project, we wanted to create an experience that was more flexible for our broad entertainment offerings, more intuitive and responsive to our members’ needs, and capable of elevating the most thrilling moments on Netflix,” Kim explained.
The redesign reflects Apple TV’s increasingly central role in the living room, with UI elements and navigation patterns that feel right at home on tvOS. Netflix appears to have drawn inspiration from Apple’s own TV app to streamline navigation and surface content more efficiently.
Here are the four core improvements rolling out with the new Netflix tvOS app:
1. Smarter Content Discovery
The new homepage surfaces detailed information about each title up front. When you hover over a show or movie, the tile now expands to reveal a description, genre tags, and context cues like “#1 in TV Shows” or “Emmy Award Winner.” This allows users to make faster, more informed decisions—especially helpful in households where browsing can become a group debate.
2. Repositioned Shortcuts
Previously, access to “Search” and “My List” was hidden in a side menu, which many users overlooked. These shortcuts are now front and center at the top of the homepage, making them instantly accessible with fewer clicks.
3. Real-Time Recommendations
Netflix says it’s using improved algorithms and real-time data to better tailor homepage suggestions. Rather than static genre rows, recommendations now reflect the user's mood and recent activity—aiming to bridge the gap between intent and discovery.
4. Modernized Design
The entire interface has been redesigned with a cleaner aesthetic that aligns with the broader visual direction Netflix has been moving toward in its mobile and web apps. Bold typography, responsive animations, and cleaner spacing contribute to a more polished feel.
Stone emphasized that this update isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about adaptability. “What’s most exciting to me is how our new TV experience gives us the ability to evolve and innovate more easily going forward,” she said.
Why the tvOS Redesign Matters
The update comes at a pivotal moment for Netflix on Apple’s platforms. For years, Netflix resisted deep integration with the Apple TV app, unlike rivals such as Disney+, Prime Video, and Paramount+. That stance appears to be softening—at least slightly.
As of early May 2025, some U.S.-based users of Apple TV 4K began seeing prompts to "Connect Netflix to the Apple TV app." After doing so, select Netflix titles—like Squid Game—have started appearing in the TV app’s “Watch Now” and “Continue Watching” sections. This marks the first real hint of cooperation between Netflix and Apple since Netflix opted out of Apple’s universal content directory back in 2019.
Though the integration is still partial—only some titles appear, and clicking them opens Netflix’s standalone app—it’s a meaningful shift. It suggests that Netflix is willing to at least experiment with deeper integration on Apple’s terms, something many users have wanted for years.
This integration, however, is limited in scope. It currently works only on Apple TV models released after late 2015 and is reportedly available only to U.S. users for now. Netflix has yet to comment on whether this integration will expand globally or whether its full catalog will ever be accessible via Apple’s unified search.
iOS Gets a Taste of the Future: Generative AI and Vertical Feeds
While the tvOS overhaul grabs the spotlight, Netflix is also quietly experimenting with two forward-looking features on its iOS app: generative AI-powered search and a vertical discovery feed modeled after TikTok.
Here’s a breakdown of what iOS users can expect—if they’re selected for the upcoming tests.
1. AI-Powered Natural Language Search (Opt-in Beta)
A limited group of users will soon have access to a conversational search function. Instead of typing in the name of a specific title, users can input phrases like “I want something funny and upbeat,” or “What’s good for a rainy Sunday?”
Behind the scenes, generative AI will parse these natural language queries and return relevant suggestions, personalized to the user’s taste profile. This shift reflects Netflix’s increasing investment in AI not just for content recommendations, but for reshaping how people interact with the platform.
The feature is opt-in and available only to a small subset of iOS users at launch. Netflix hasn’t said when—or if—it plans to roll the feature out more widely, but early feedback will likely inform future deployment.
2. Vertical Video Discovery Feed (Experimental Test)
In another nod to modern content discovery trends, Netflix is testing a vertical feed filled with short-form clips from its vast library. The feature is reminiscent of TikTok or Instagram Reels, with one key difference: every clip is sourced from a full-length Netflix show or movie.
Users can scroll vertically to preview different titles. If something catches their eye, they can tap to start watching immediately, add it to “My List,” or share it with friends.
Stone noted that this feature aims to make content discovery more “fun and frictionless,” especially for mobile users who may not be in the mood to scroll through static rows of cover art.
This vertical feed will also begin rolling out in limited tests over the coming weeks. Netflix is using A/B testing to gauge user engagement before committing to a full rollout.
Netflix’s Strategic Shift: From Content Giant to UX Innovator
These updates signal more than just a design refresh—they’re indicative of Netflix’s evolving philosophy as a technology company. For years, Netflix has highlighted its edge in content curation and delivery, investing in personalized recommendations and building Open Connect, its proprietary content delivery network. But these latest updates push the narrative further: Netflix wants to be seen as a user experience innovator.
Stone put it succinctly: “If you think about all the areas where Netflix has a big advantage—our reach, our recommendations, our fandom—tech enables all those things.”
In a saturated streaming market where every player offers compelling originals, the user interface may be the next true battleground. Netflix’s decision to modernize tvOS, explore AI, and lean into vertical discovery shows it’s willing to experiment—at scale.
Rollout Timeline
Here’s what users can expect in terms of availability:
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tvOS Redesign: Rolling out globally starting mid-May 2025, with most users receiving the update over the summer months.
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Generative AI Search (iOS): Launching in late May 2025 as a small opt-in beta in select markets.
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Vertical Discovery Feed (iOS): Beginning limited tests in June 2025; full rollout dependent on user feedback and engagement metrics.
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Apple TV App Integration: Currently in limited testing within the U.S. on Apple TV 4K devices (2015 or newer). No official rollout timeline has been announced.
Final Thoughts
Netflix’s refreshed tvOS experience and mobile experiments represent a notable evolution in how the company approaches platform design and user interaction. While its core proposition—great shows and movies—remains the same, the way users discover and engage with that content is changing dramatically.
With streaming services becoming increasingly interchangeable in terms of content, the battleground is shifting to experience, interface, and personalization. In that regard, Netflix’s latest updates feel not just like a redesign, but a reinvention.
And while the company hasn’t promised that every experimental feature will go mainstream, one thing is clear: Netflix is more willing than ever to rethink how people find their next favorite show—whether it’s through a smart TV, a voice prompt, or a vertical scroll.
