Apple TV app finally starts including Netflix series [u]

After years of holding out, Netflix appears to be thawing toward Apple TV as certain shows began appearing in the TV app's "Continue Watching" selection — before being removed again.

Netflix did recently update its iPhone app to allow full-season downloads. However, on Apple TV 4K set top boxes, Netflix has long insisted on remaining solely its own app, instead of allowing it to be included in Apple's own TV app.

Now, however, Apple TV 4K users in the US are being prompted to "Connect Netflix to the Apple TV app," and then at least some Netflix titles start appearing there. Just as with Amazon Prime, Paramount+, and many others, selected Netflix series such as "Squid Game" are showing up in the Apple TV app's Watchlist and Continue Watching sections.

As first spotted by 9to5mac, yet, it doesn't seem that the whole Netflix catalog is available via Apple's TV app. It does seem, though, that for now it is solely working in the US.

Apple has aimed to make its TV app be a one-stop place to watch all content on Apple TV 4K boxes. Since a significant redesign for tvOS 13 in 2019, pressing the Home button on the Siri Remote has defaulted to opening the TV app.

Previously, each streamer had its own app, and the intention was that the content from those would be shown in the TV app. Apple has been thwarted in this ambition, though, because of Netflix.

Netflix has the largest library of all the streamers, and while it maintains a tvOS app, it has always required users to use its own app. That's meant users always having to leave Apple's TV app to open the Netflix one.

There's been no announcement from either Apple or Netflix about the change, nor whether the whole catalog will be available in the TV app. It seems likely, though, that Netflix's whole library will be at least searchable, since Disney+ content is, even though selecting a show bounces users out to see it in the Disney app.

As well as appearing to be limited to US Netflix subscribers only, the new integration is solely available for Apple TV set top boxes released since late 2015. Back in mid-2024, Netflix announced that it would no longer support the older second and third generation Apple TVs.

Update: 12:30 ET While AppleInsider can confirm the initial rolling out of the Netflix integration, it has subsequently been removed. In testing while it was available, Netflix did not show up as a channel or in the tvOS app management section, suggesting that it is still being worked on.