Netflix Bids for Social Media-Style Engagement

Netflix is planning a major overhaul of its mobile application as the streaming giant seeks to compete more directly with social media platforms for the daily attention of its users.

The company revealed its intentions during a fourth-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, outlining a vision to transform its mobile interface from a static library into a more interactive hub. The redesign, slated for a global rollout later this year, will center on short-form, vertical video feeds—a format popularized by platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said the revamped app is intended to "better serve the expansion of our business over the decade to come." He described the new interface as a flexible platform that will allow the company to "iterate, test, evolve, and improve" its features more rapidly.

A core component of the update is the deeper integration of swipeable video clips. While Netflix has been experimenting with short-form previews for months, the new design will make these vertical feeds a central discovery tool. The feeds will showcase highlights from Netflix’s catalog, as well as clips from its newly launched original video podcasts.

The shift toward social-style engagement comes as Netflix faces increasing competition from the broader "attention economy." Co-CEO Ted Sarandos noted that the boundaries of television are dissolving, with audiences increasingly gravitating toward short-form content on platforms like YouTube and Instagram.

"Competition for creators, audience attention, and both advertising and subscription revenue has never been fiercer," Sarandos said.

The news follows a strong financial year for the company. Netflix reported 2025 revenue of $45.2 billion and ended the year with more than 325 million paid subscribers. Its burgeoning advertising tier contributed $1.5 billion to that total, a figure the company expects to double in 2026.

Netflix’s move to modernize its mobile experience follows a similar redesign of its television app last year, which focused on more immersive background video and larger recommendation tiles.