Netflix plans to redesign its mobile application and expand its short-form video features, aligning with its strategy to increase daily engagement and promote new original video podcasts. The company announced these initiatives during its fourth-quarter earnings call on Tuesday.
The updated mobile application, scheduled for a late 2026 launch, aims to “better serve the expansion of our business over the decade to come,” according to co-CEO Greg Peters. The redesign establishes a foundation for continued experimentation, enabling Netflix to “iterate, test, evolve, and improve” its offerings.
Central to the redesign is enhanced integration of vertical video feeds, a feature Netflix has experimented with since May. These feeds present short clips from Netflix shows and movies, mirroring formats used by platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels.
“You can imagine us bringing more clips based on new content types, like video podcasts,” Peters said, indicating short-form clips will capture attention and increase in-app time.
Netflix has also prioritized video podcasts, a sector where YouTube has led. The company debuted its initial original video podcasts the prior week, featuring shows with personalities like Pete Davidson and Michael Irvin. Additionally, Netflix partnered with established podcast providers, including Spotify and iHeartMedia, to integrate their video podcast libraries.
These developments aim to make content discovery and daily engagement on Netflix more akin to a social platform. CTO Elizabeth Stone emphasized at the TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 conference that Netflix seeks to enhance entertainment discovery through mobile-first features, not to emulate TikTok.
During the earnings call, co-CEO Ted Sarandos noted the streaming industry’s broader shift, where services compete not only with each other but with the entire entertainment sector. “There’s never been more competition for creators, for consumer attention, for advertising and subscription dollars, the competitive lines around TV consumption are already blurring,” Sarandos said, highlighting the evolving nature of television consumption.
Sarandos also referenced Netflix’s film strategy, including recent changes to theatrical release models as it prepares to acquire Warner Bros. This indicates an embrace of hybrid distribution models amid the blurring boundaries between cinema, streaming, and social content.
In 2025, Netflix reported $45.2 billion in revenue, with ad revenue exceeding $1.5 billion. The company also surpassed 325 million paid subscriptions during the fourth quarter.
