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Paco II

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2009
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Netflix is not an app with 10 customers and being cutting edge to attract more. It is a pay service with millions of customers. It needs to make sure the app WORKS for everyone. That is their highest priority. Scoping features like they appear to be doing may annoy the minority who 'demand' a feature in a beta, but it helps to ensure that the app doesn't break for the vast majority of its customers.

BTW, Netflix has had, by my count, 3 Bug Fix updates since their PiP release...and has not addressed this issue.

And before you all start with the "its Beta". No, every single other App that supports PiP works on iOS 10, because they implemented it properly. Something is broken or sloppy with Netflix's implementation...and it simply doesn't work on iOS 10, and won't until they update it.
A self respecting developer will often update their App during the beta period to fix any major bugs (like this) so that their App doesn't suck all summer and leave a bad taste with users.
But Netflix is not a self respecting developer. The fact that they took over a year to launch PiP is pathetic, and clearly they didn't even do it right.
 

TurboPGT!

Suspended
Sep 25, 2015
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Netflix is not an app with 10 customers and being cutting edge to attract more. It is a pay service with millions of customers. It needs to make sure the app WORKS for everyone. That is their highest priority. Scoping features like they appear to be doing may annoy the minority who 'demand' a feature in a beta, but it helps to ensure that the app doesn't break for the vast majority of its customers.
Netflix took nearly a year to implement PiP at all, when other comparable services had it available at launch or shortly after.

There is no excuse. HBO and Hulu are also pay services with millions of customers. That is not a reason to be lax on development.
 
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eyeseeyou

macrumors 68040
Feb 4, 2011
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I didn't say he was wrong. I love when someone comes into a thread and puts words in others mouths.

I just can't see there being a high demand for "OMG I need to change a setting on my Apple TV or update an app right now! The 1 minute left in this video I'm watch will set me back the rest of the day."

I just thought the reasoning was flat. Not that he was wrong. Doesn't the MLB app do PiP within the app to watch two games? That has a use and already exists, but PiP to go into Settings or go look at a photo or update an app. That's kinda just impatience.

In an effort to duplicate "channel surfing" on the standard UX for watching cable tv I feel like PIP on ATV would be equivalent to pressing the "guide" button while watching a channel to see what else is on.
 

Paco II

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Sep 13, 2009
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There is an excuse and it's a good one: stability. Netflix's small iOS team has to worry about older versions of iOS it has to support, it has to worry about bugs with the latest iOS, etc. A missing feature in an iOS beta is at the bottom of their list.

Netflix took nearly a year to implement PiP at all, when other comparable services had it available at launch or shortly after.

There is no excuse. HBO and Hulu are also pay services with millions of customers. That is not a reason to be lax on development.
 
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StonewallBrown

macrumors regular
Mar 25, 2013
244
112
There is an excuse and it's a good one: stability. Netflix's small iOS team has to worry about older versions of iOS it has to support, it has to worry about bugs with the latest iOS, etc. A missing feature in an iOS beta is at the bottom of their list.
Then they should charge less. They are a company who's basis is built on mobile distribution of media. If it's too taxing for them to enter a line of code, then perhaps they deserve to fail. It took them almost a year to add PiP. At least they had that time to code it. I love Netflix. I mind paying more for a service, and not getting simple benefits, because they have a "small iOS team".
 
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lagwagon

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Oct 12, 2014
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Then they should charge less. They are a company who's basis is built on mobile distribution of media. If it's too taxing for them to enter a line of code, then perhaps they deserve to fail. It took them almost a year to add PiP. At least they had that time to code it. I love Netflix. I mind paying more for a service, and not getting simple benefits, because they have a "small iOS team".

The issue isn't Netflix. The issue is you expecting apps to work and also be updated during the beta process of a brand new OS. Netflix or any company has no obligation to fix a broken feature when it's ran on a beta OS. Stop acting like iOS 10 has been officially released and everything, including 3rd party apps have to 100% work.
 

Paco II

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2009
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Yes, distribution of media, not PiP. If your 'bar' for satisfaction is the requirement of PiP, you are by far in the minority. Delivering a clear, high quality, non-buffering video stream and a solid user experience is what the vast majority of people demand. Not PiP. So that's what Netflix focuses on.

Then they should charge less. They are a company who's basis is built on mobile distribution of media. If it's too taxing for them to enter a line of code, then perhaps they deserve to fail. It took them almost a year to add PiP. At least they had that time to code it. I love Netflix. I mind paying more for a service, and not getting simple benefits, because they have a "small iOS team".
 

Appleaker

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jun 13, 2016
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The issue isn't Netflix. The issue is you expecting apps to work and also be updated during the beta process of a brand new OS. Netflix or any company has no obligation to fix a broken feature when it's ran on a beta OS. Stop acting like iOS 10 has been officially released and everything, including 3rd party apps have to 100% work.
I agree people shouldn't be angry at apps not working in a beta, but this has nothing to do with the beta. It's about their implementation. It didn't work if you updated the app on 9.3.1 and it's the same with 10. I think it's reasonable to expect it to work on an OS version prior to the public release but not obligatory for them. It shouldn't be version specific though.
 

StonewallBrown

macrumors regular
Mar 25, 2013
244
112
I agree people shouldn't be angry at apps not working in a beta, but this has nothing to do with the beta. It's about their implementation. It didn't work if you updated the app on 9.3.1 and it's the same with 10. I think it's reasonable to expect it to work on an OS version prior to the public release but not obligatory for them. It shouldn't be version specific though.
This was the point I was trying to make. I'm just sick of the
The issue isn't Netflix. The issue is you expecting apps to work and also be updated during the beta process of a brand new OS. Netflix or any company has no obligation to fix a broken feature when it's ran on a beta OS. Stop acting like iOS 10 has been officially released and everything, including 3rd party apps have to 100% work.
I'm not talking about just the beta. I'm talking about in general. Netflix has been slow in implementing technology on iOS. They have a history of it.
 

Paco II

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2009
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The Netflix app is one of the best streaming video apps on iOS. You're upset they haven't implemented a feature you want, which is your right, but stop trying to paint a picture of some poorly developed app. We all know it's not that.

This was the point I was trying to make. I'm just sick of the

I'm not talking about just the beta. I'm talking about in general. Netflix has been slow in implementing technology on iOS. They have a history of it.
 
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lagwagon

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The Netflix app is one of the best streaming video apps on iOS. You're upset they haven't implemented a feature you want, which is your right, but stop trying to paint a picture of some poorly developed app. We all know it's not that.

To add onto what you said. Netflix being watched from an iOS device is probably a smaller portion of their viewers. While the actual number of people who do is large, I would assume the majority probably watches Netflix via Smart TV app, app built into their blu-ray player or gaming console. On the couch, infront ofbtheir TV. Hence probably why their iOS team is small and slow to "roll iOS features out". Because it isn't top priority to develope on mobile.

And like you said. PiP isn't exactly a make or break priority thing when the app is for actually watching the movies or shows.

Unless I'm wrong and people go on dates to watch Netflix on an iPad. PiP missing maybe hurts the whole "Netflix and chill" thing.
 
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JonSarge3108

macrumors regular
Nov 11, 2015
204
58
To add onto what you said. Netflix being watched from an iOS device is probably a smaller portion of their viewers. While the actual number of people who do is large, I would assume the majority probably watches Netflix via Smart TV app, app built into their blu-ray player or gaming console. On the couch, infront ofbtheir TV. Hence probably why their iOS team is small and slow to "roll iOS features out". Because it isn't top priority to develope on mobile.

And like you said. PiP isn't exactly a make or break priority thing when the app is for actually watching the movies or shows.

Unless I'm wrong and people go on dates to watch Netflix on an iPad. PiP missing maybe hurts the whole "Netflix and chill" thing.
And if you don't want to support Netflix and Chill you could always try Amazon and Commitment but the long term investment and cost is much more substantial (third-party costs, I'm not comparing subscription costings!)
 
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Paco II

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2009
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706
Another thought on this: Everything Netflix does is driven by data. It would not surprise me if their data indicates that people who use PiP are actually less satisfied with the service, since they aren't really giving it their full attention. Again this is just a random theory, but we do know that Netflix is very deliberate about what they focus on for development.
 

Appleaker

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jun 13, 2016
2,197
4,194
To add onto what you said. Netflix being watched from an iOS device is probably a smaller portion of their viewers. While the actual number of people who do is large, I would assume the majority probably watches Netflix via Smart TV app, app built into their blu-ray player or gaming console. On the couch, infront ofbtheir TV. Hence probably why their iOS team is small and slow to "roll iOS features out". Because it isn't top priority to develope on mobile.

And like you said. PiP isn't exactly a make or break priority thing when the app is for actually watching the movies or shows.

Unless I'm wrong and people go on dates to watch Netflix on an iPad. PiP missing maybe hurts the whole "Netflix and chill" thing.
It doesn't matter if it is a small portion of their viewers, which to be honest I highly doubt to be insignificant; Netflix is a paid service and should implement features that the users demand. Your suggestion that people can't watch the movie/show if it is playing in PiP simply isn't true, regardless of whether it is true for you or not. PiP isn't missing, and i'm not sure you understand how it works - it isn't the only way to watch so obviously wouldn't be used on a date.
 
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