As powerful as the Netflix recommendation algorithms are becoming, there’s nothing like a good, old fashioned trailer to whet the appetite for a TV show or movie.
Last year Netflix released 30-second previews on its TV-based apps in the hope of helping subscribers find new content faster. However, mobile users have still been diving in blind.
Thankfully, that all changes today, with the new Netflix Previews coming to the iOS app from today, and to Android users soon.
All of the previews are designed to focus on brand new content, while being tailored to the viewer’s unique viewing habits.
Netflix also says the previews will have their own tab within the app and will appear vertically, so users don’t have to turn their phones to landscape.
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In a media release on Thursday the firm said: “The previews are shown like a slideshow, so if you see something you like, you can tap play or add to your list. If not, you can swipe or tap the screen to advance to the next preview.”
Netflix says its research has shown that customers spend less time flicking through content and more time watching when guided by the previews.
Cameron Johnson, Director of Product Innovation, added: “Mobile previews load very quickly, are personalised to your specific tastes, and are easy to use. We hope you like using this new feature and that mobile previews help you find your next favorite show!”
It’s not clear exactly when Netflix will roll out the feature for Android device owners, but we can’t imagine it’ll be too long.
The feature is likely to be especially useful to smartphone owners sending Netflix content to a Chromecast device, for example.
Are you spending far too much time flicking through Netflix instead of diving into new shows? Do you think this new feature will help? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.