Netflix App will No Longer Work on Older iPhones and iPads
Older iPhones and iPads will lose the ability to stream the Netflix app thanks to a new update.
Netflix isn’t shy about removing support for its app from older devices. The streamer is the world’s largest, with almost 278 million global customers, and it’s well aware of the captive audience it commands. Netflix has ended support for a number of devices over the past year, and it’s doing so again this month. A new report from 9to5 Apple indicates that Netflix will no longer work on older models of iPhone and iPad thanks to a new update of its streaming app.
Key Details:
- Netflix is ending support for iOS 16 in its latest update.
- Apple devices that cannot be upgraded past iOS 16 include the iPhone X, first-generation iPad Pros, and more.
- Netflix has ended support for Samsung, Sony, and Toshiba TVs, as well as select Apple TV players in recent months.
Netflix is rolling out a new update for its iOS app and has begun informing users that once the update is complete, iOS version 16 will no longer be supported. Viewers will have to update to iOS 17 — which launched around a year ago — if they want to continue streaming Netflix on their Apple device.
The trouble is, some iPhones and iPads aren’t capable of running iOS 17. This list includes the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPad 5 (2017), and first-generation iPad Pro. Owners of these devices may still be able to stream Netflix from the company’s website, but they’ll no longer be able to use the Netflix app.
The update won’t be immediate but should roll out in the near future. In addition to the discontinuance of support for iOS 16, the update will feature some security upgrades and bug fixes. This is just the most recent example of Netflix changing the way Apple customers access its content; in June, it sunset support for 2nd and 3rd Gen Apple TV devices. Netflix also no longer allows new or existing customers to pay for their accounts through Apple.
Apple isn’t the only device manufacturer that has seen Netflix limit support for its devices in the recent past. In October of last year, Netflix ended support for a wide range of smart TVs and streaming devices. In June 2024, the streamer pulled support from a line of older Sony smart TVs as well.
Netflix is so popular that viewers might decide they’d rather get a new streaming device instead of trying to find workarounds to watch it. You can shop for new iPads here, or check out Amazon Fire TV devices that will allow you to watch Netflix on the biggest screen in your home.
Netflix
Netflix is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 3,000+ movies, 2,000+ TV Shows, and Netflix Originals like Stranger Things, Squid Game, The Crown, Tiger King, and Bridgerton. They are constantly adding new shows and movies. Some of their Academy Award-winning exclusives include Roma, Marriage Story, Mank, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.