Netflix goes vertical

Netflix is rebuilding its mobile app around a vertical video feed that lets people swipe through clips to find something to watch faster. (netflix.com, theverge.com) The company said in its first-quarter 2026 shareholder letter that the redesigned mobile app will launch “at the end of April.” Netflix paired that disclosure with a broader push to make the service easier to browse across devices. (netflix.com, theverge.com) Netflix has already described the format in public: a vertical feed filled with clips from its shows and movies, built to make discovery “easy and fun.” The company said in May 2025 that it would begin testing that feed in the “coming weeks” on mobile. (about.netflix.com, techcrunch.com) This is not Netflix’s first try at phone-first browsing. In 2018, it launched 30-second mobile previews in a vertical format, and in 2023 it added a “My Netflix” tab to collect downloads, reminders, likes, and watchlist items in one place. (about.netflix.com, about.netflix.com) The new version goes further by borrowing the swipe mechanics popularized by TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. Netflix has said the redesign is meant to reflect its “expanding entertainment offering” and help members engage “how and when they want.” (theverge.com, about.netflix.com) The app changes are arriving alongside more artificial intelligence tools inside Netflix. In 2025, the company said it was testing an opt-in iOS search feature that lets members use conversational prompts such as asking for something “funny and upbeat.” (about.netflix.com, cnbc.com) On the April 2026 earnings call, co-chief executive Gregory Peters said Netflix has worked on personalization for two decades but still sees room to improve with newer models. He said newer recommendation systems can support different content types more efficiently and speed up iteration. (techcrunch.com, fool.com) The timing also lines up with a bigger business shift at Netflix. The company stopped reporting quarterly subscriber totals in 2025, while putting more emphasis on revenue, advertising, and product features that keep people using the service. (cnbc.com, netflix.com) Netflix reported $12.25 billion in first-quarter 2026 revenue, up 16.2% from a year earlier, according to its earnings materials and coverage of the call. In that context, a faster, more habit-forming way to surface titles on phones is not just a design tweak; it is part of how the company packages its catalog for daily use. (techcrunch.com, netflix.com) If the rollout lands on schedule, Netflix’s mobile app will look less like a static menu by the end of April 2026 and more like a feed. The bet is that the next show starts with a swipe, not a search bar. (theverge.com, about.netflix.com)