Netflix has confirmed that AirPlay support has been removed from their iOS app citing technical reasons. Similar to ChromeCast, AirPlay allows users to view media that they are watching on their phone on a larger screen, eg a TV, via an AppleTV box. Apple recently announced that AirPlay 2 was being licensed to TV manufacturers so they could add built-in support to their 2019 range of smart TVs however Netflix state that AirPlay 2 does not include any digital identifier for Netflix to be able to tell the TVs apart. This is important in terms of hardware capabilities for Netflix to provide the correct data and media stream – such as whether the interactive shows like Bandersnatch would work.
Netflix gave an official statement to clarify:
We want to make sure our members have a great Netflix experience on any device they use. With AirPlay support rolling out to third-party devices, there isn’t a way for us to distinguish between devices (what is an Apple TV vs. what isn’t) or certify these experiences. Therefore, we have decided to discontinue Netflix AirPlay support to ensure our standard of quality for viewing is being met. Members can continue to access Netflix on the built-in app across Apple TV and other devices.
The Netflix help page also confirms this:
Source: The Verge
The Apple TV already has its own netflix app, so I can see why they wouldn’t bother supporting airplay.
Also the Netflix app on BT you view has been updated. Unfortunately it stills doesn’t support the b… https://t.co/wzC69tn7es
I think those ‘technical reasons’ are actually that Netflix has been trialing mobile-only streaming plans, and having AirPlay enabled on those devices only complicates matters for the company. So yeah, ‘technical reasons’ my arse.