One among Netflix’s greatest options is gone, doubtless for this irritating motive

Late final 12 months, seemingly out of nowhere, Netflix made the controversial transfer to remove casting from its cellular app, stopping customers from sending reveals and flicks from their smartphones to their TVs. The one gadgets spared have been older Google Chromecasts that rely completely on casting.

“Netflix not helps casting reveals from a cellular machine to most TVs and TV-streaming gadgets,” Netflix said when it pulled the characteristic. “You may want to make use of the distant that got here together with your TV or TV-streaming machine to navigate Netflix.”

Naturally, customers who primarily relied on casting to look at Netflix on their TVs have been upset with the change, with one Redditor on the time saying, “And identical to this, I’m unsubbing from Netflix.”

To at the present time, Netflix has declined to touch upon the precise motive why it all of a sudden eliminated casting from its app, however because of a current report, we could have our greatest indication but of why the streaming big pulled the plug on the characteristic.

In line with a report from Janko Roettgers of Lowpass (by way of The Verge), Netflix could have gotten rid of casting just because its utilization was declining. This hypothesis is predicated on a dialog Roettgers had with a streaming service operator at CES, who informed him that solely round 10 % of Android customers have been utilizing casting on their service.

Netflix’s resolution is an outlier

Different main streaming providers nonetheless help casting, like Prime Video, Disney+ and HBO Max

Netflix dropping casting as a result of fewer folks have been utilizing it would not appear totally out of the query — particularly now that most individuals watch streaming providers by means of the app on their sensible TV or devoted streaming machine as a substitute of casting from their telephones.

Personally, I used to forged on a regular basis from my Android telephone to my Chromecast again within the day. However after getting my first sensible TV — and later a Fireplace TV Stick — casting simply by no means crossed my thoughts anymore.

That stated, loads of folks nonetheless depend on casting. Even when it is solely round 10 % of Android customers, that is nonetheless a large group, and it is a disgrace Netflix could not preserve the characteristic round for many who nonetheless get pleasure from and rely on it.

Roettgers additionally speculates that Netflix could have dropped casting to give attention to different phone-to-TV initiatives, like cloud gaming. In October, Netflix launched party games that allow you to play in your TV whereas utilizing your telephone as a controller.

For casting followers, it isn’t all dangerous information, although. Whereas Netflix has dropped help, different main streaming providers nonetheless provide it, together with Prime Video, HBO Max, and Disney+. Apple TV, specifically, just lately expanded its casting support to incorporate Android telephones — not simply iPhones.

And whereas I personally do not use casting anymore, it is nonetheless weird to me that Netflix would drop it, even when utilization has declined — particularly when all of its main rivals proceed to help it. After raising prices last year, you’d assume Netflix could be extra centered on including worth to the service, not taking options away.