Netflix is teasing a redesign of its mobile app for later this year, and it may introduce short-form vertical video to help compete with Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and even other streaming services.
The streamer has been testing short-form video since May 2025, and it appears the brand may soon be ready to introduce it. Rumors suggest it will include video from shows and movies, trailers, and original content, such as clips from Netflix’s 30-plus new video podcasts.
Netflix’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Jan. 20 saw the brand begin teasing the introduction of what co-CEO Greg Peters calls tech to “better serve the expansion of our business over the decade to come.”
Peters brought up the redesign when asked why the brand hasn’t yet introduced vertical video, even though rivals like Disney+ have announced plans to do so.
Peters said the tech will become a platform for it to “iterate, test, evolve, and improve our offering.” This suggests the brand isn’t yet sure what will prove successful in vertical video on Netflix, but it believes there’s a future for the tech.
The redesign for mobile appears to also be aimed at better surfacing TV shows and movies for mobile viewers. This comes after Netflix rolled out an update to its home TV app in 2025, in which large recommendation elements became the focus for suggesting what to watch.
Netflix used the earnings call to confirm that its ad-supported plan is proving a success, generating $1.5 billion in revenue in 2025. The brand believes it will double that in 2026, estimating it will reach $3 billion in revenue from the plans.
It appears this is the revenue generated from subscriptions and the ads shown. The high revenue is also partly due to Netflix’s price hikes, which saw its ad-supported plan jump from $6.99 to $7.99 per month at the start of 2025.
Another teaser shared during the earnings call includes new AI-powered tools for advertisers to insert their products into ads featuring intellectual property from the streamer’s shows and movies.
Yesterday, Netflix debuted its first real-time voting tech in a reboot of the reality TV show Star Search. It allows everyone watching live across mobile or TV apps to vote on performances, with results influencing who stays or goes.
Think of it like a modern version of when people used their phones to call or text to vote on American Idol.
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