Netflix content started showing up for the first time in the Apple TV application. Until now, the streaming behemoth refused to cooperate with Apple’s app that displays content from a variety of services.
Netflix’s new integration with Apple TV appears to be still rolling out, so it’s not yet available to all users.
Update: A Netflix spokesperson now says integration between the streaming service and the Apple TV was just a mistake.
Netflix and Apple TV: NOT together
The free Apple TV application tries to be a central hub for finding shows on any streaming service. This includes Apple TV+, of course, but that’s only the start. The app’s home screen for each user lists recently played episodes on Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Paramount+ and more.
This cross-app integration is at the discretion of the user, and they need to approve it. But each of the streaming services also needs to approve it. And Netflix refused… until now.
Update: The Verge reports being told by a Netflix spokesperson that, “This morning’s window where Netflix appeared as a ‘participating’ service in Apple TV — including temporary support for the watchlist and ‘continue watching’ features — was an error and has now been rolled back.”
Reports of Apple TV users being asked to connect Netflix to the Apple TV app started appearing early on Friday:
Am I dreaming? Netflix integration in the Apple TV app? pic.twitter.com/yMeWk6x2US
— FlatpanelsHD (@Flatpanels) February 14, 2025
Thereafter, Netflix series appeared in the “Continue Watching” section of the app.
Netflix is one of the two largest streaming services, slightly behind only Prime Video. Executives feel it doesn’t need Apple’s help, preferring its subscribers use the Netflix’s own app.
While that’s understandable, hub applications like Apple TV help users find shows scattered across multiple streaming services. For example, someone who wants to watch the classic The X-Files can use Apple’s app to discover it’s on Hulu.
It’s early days for integration
There was never an announcement from either Apple or Netflix about the change, so all that was known was what users discovered on their own.
The only people who ever got access the option to connect Netflix to the Apple TV application were those with Apple’s physical set top box, also called Apple TV. Also, all the lucky users were in the United States.
It’s not clear who made the error that enabled the Netflix integration, or exactly what happened. Optimists might hope that the two companies were testing a feature that’ll be enabled at some point, but that’s pure speculation.
