Netflix is planning a major redesign of its mobile app as it looks to adapt to a video landscape increasingly shaped by short-form and social-first platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
The news comes shortly after Netflix rival Disney+ announced a vertical video feed similar to Instagram Reels and TikTok.
During its fourth-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, Netflix said the revamped app will expand its use of short-form video features and help promote its growing slate of original video podcasts, which the company announced last week.
The redesigned mobile app is scheduled to launch later in 2026. Co-CEO Greg Peters said the update is intended to better support Netflix’s long-term business expansion and provide a foundation for ongoing experimentation.
Peters said the new app will allow Netflix to continuously iterate, test, and refine features over time rather than relying on static product updates.
A central element of the redesign is deeper integration of vertical video feeds. Netflix has been testing this format since May, using short clips from its shows and movies presented in a swipeable feed similar to formats popularized by TikTok and Instagram Reels.
Peters said the company could expand these feeds to include clips tied to new content formats, including video podcasts, as a way to increase attention and time spent in the app.
Netflix is also accelerating its push into video podcasts, a category long dominated by YouTube. This week, the company debuted its first original video podcasts featuring hosts such as Pete Davidson and Michael Irvin.
In addition, Netflix has partnered with major podcast distributors, including Spotify and iHeartMedia, to bring existing video podcast libraries to the platform.
These moves point to a broader effort to make content discovery and daily engagement on Netflix feel more dynamic and mobile-focused. However, company executives have emphasized that the strategy centers on experimentation rather than copying social platforms outright.
Speaking earlier at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, CTO Elizabeth Stone said Netflix is not trying to become TikTok, but is instead strengthening its entertainment discovery tools.
During the earnings call, co-CEO Ted Sarandos said streaming services are no longer competing only with one another, but with the broader entertainment industry as a whole.
He noted that traditional distinctions between television, cinema, and online platforms continue to blur, citing examples such as major live events appearing on YouTube and other tech companies competing for major film and television awards.
Sarandos also referenced Netflix’s evolving theatrical release strategy as the company prepares to acquire Warner Bros., signaling increased openness to hybrid distribution models.
Netflix reported $45.2 billion in revenue in 2025. Ad revenue rose to more than $1.5 billion during the year, and the company surpassed 325 million paid subscriptions in the fourth quarter.
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