One among Netflix’s greatest options is gone, probably for this irritating cause

Late final yr, seemingly out of nowhere, Netflix made the controversial transfer to remove casting from its cellular app, stopping customers from sending reveals and films from their smartphones to their TVs. The one units spared had been older Google Chromecasts that rely completely on casting.

“Netflix now not helps casting reveals from a cellular system to most TVs and TV-streaming units,” Netflix said when it pulled the characteristic. “You may want to make use of the distant that got here together with your TV or TV-streaming system to navigate Netflix.”

Naturally, customers who primarily relied on casting to look at Netflix on their TVs had been upset with the change, with one Redditor on the time saying, “And identical to this, I’m unsubbing from Netflix.”

To this present day, Netflix has declined to touch upon the precise cause why it all of the sudden eliminated casting from its app, however because of a current report, we could have our greatest indication but of why the streaming large pulled the plug on the characteristic.

In response to a report from Janko Roettgers of Lowpass (by way of The Verge), Netflix could have gotten rid of casting just because its utilization was declining. This hypothesis relies on a dialog Roettgers had with a streaming service operator at CES, who instructed him that solely round 10 % of Android customers had been utilizing casting on their service.

Netflix’s resolution is an outlier

Different main streaming providers nonetheless help casting, like Prime Video, Disney+ and HBO Max

Netflix dropping casting as a result of fewer folks had been utilizing it does not appear fully out of the query — particularly now that most individuals watch streaming providers via the app on their sensible TV or devoted streaming system as a substitute of casting from their telephones.

Personally, I used to solid on a regular basis from my Android telephone to my Chromecast again within the day. However after getting my first sensible TV — and later a Hearth TV Stick — casting simply by no means crossed my thoughts anymore.

That stated, loads of folks nonetheless depend on casting. Even when it is solely round 10 % of Android customers, that is nonetheless a large group, and it is a disgrace Netflix could not maintain the characteristic round for individuals who nonetheless get pleasure from and rely on it.

Roettgers additionally speculates that Netflix could have dropped casting to concentrate on different phone-to-TV initiatives, like cloud gaming. In October, Netflix launched party games that allow you to play in your TV whereas utilizing your telephone as a controller.

For casting followers, it is not all dangerous information, although. Whereas Netflix has dropped help, different main streaming providers nonetheless supply it, together with Prime Video, HBO Max, and Disney+. Apple TV, particularly, lately expanded its casting support to incorporate Android telephones — not simply iPhones.

And whereas I personally do not use casting anymore, it is nonetheless weird to me that Netflix would drop it, even when utilization has declined — particularly when all of its main rivals proceed to help it. After raising prices last year, you’d assume Netflix can be extra centered on including worth to the service, not taking options away.