NETFLIX is dropping support for several Apple devices including some iPhone and iPad models.
An alert has started appearing on screens of affected gadgets when opening the popular streaming platform.
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Netflix will no longer provide updates for its iOS 16, the Apple-made software released back in September 2022.
While more recent iPhones and iPads will be able fine on iOS 17 or the upcoming iOS 18, it does mean that older kit will miss out on future changes.
The app will still work for the moment but Netflix won’t work on any new features, fixes or pesky bugs, so the app will eventually stop working as technology progresses.
Crucially, without fixes it can open devices up to cyber danger too as hackers look to exploit any vulnerabilities that will go unnoticed.
An alert was spotted by 9to5Mac, reading: “We’ve updated the Netflix app! To use the latest version, install iOS 17 or later.”
Affected devices include the popular iPhone X, released in 2017, famed for being the first iPhone with a notch design.
Netflix users with an iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, also released in 2017, will notice the warning too.
Aside from iPhone, the first iPad Pro as well as iPad 5 tablets can only run on iOS 16.
Here’s the full list:
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPad Pro (first generation)
- iPad 5
The only other alternative when the app does stop working is to watch Netflix via your web browser.
For other devices still running iOS 16 but can update, they should considering jumping onto iOS 17.
iOS 17 is the current version available.
However, next week iPhone owners will have access to a free upgrade, iOS 18.
iOS 18 will work on the following handsets:
- iPhone SE (second generation or later)
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
Why is Netflix dropping support?
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor
It may seem annoying when your tech stops working but sadly dropping support is a necessary move for companies eventually.
Updates take time and money to develop, so making them for a system with dwindling numbers is hard to justify.
According to Stat Counter, less than 4 per cent of Apple devices currently run on iOS 16.7 and little over 2 per cent on version 16.6.
In comparison, the latest versions of iOS 17, are on about 70 per cent of iPhones.
Other companies are doing the same – Sky will drop its iOS 16 app next week.
But the Netflix app on iOS 16-compatible iPhones will continue to work for now.
Just don’t be surprised if it starts to crash and eventually become dysfunctional soon.
