Netflix launched its new ad-supported subscription plan in the United States on Thursday, as well as in eight other countries. But if you’re hoping to watch Netflix on a new, cheaper plan on your Apple TV device, you’re going to be waiting a little longer.
Netflix’s support page for its Basic with Ads plan doesn’t offer much insight, but it does plainly state that currently, the plan is not supported on any Apple TV devices. Chromecasts prior to the Google TV model are also not supported, along with Playstation 3 consoles. All of Netflix’s other plans are still available to stream on Apple 4K platforms.
Netflix’s Basic with Ads plan is currently functional on other Apple devices, so the lack of support on Apple TV devices is not an indication of a larger schism between the two companies. Apple TV hosts several other video services that offer an ad-supported tier, so it’s not clear why Netflix was unable to sort out its issues with Apple TV before launch.
A Netflix spokesperson confirmed to 9to5Mac, which first reported the story, that its Basic with Ads plan would be available on Apple TV soon. The spokesperson did not give any more details as to why it is not currently supported on Apple TV.
The lack of functionality on Apple TV devices marks the first major glitch in the rollout of the Basic with Ads plan. Basic with Ads officially launched in Canada and Mexico on Nov. 1 and also debuted in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, and the United Kingdom on Thursday, with Spain getting the subscription option on Nov. 10.
Another shortcoming with the rollout is that Netflix has not reached licensing agreements with every major studio to include their content on the ad-supported tier. Without those agreements, Netflix cannot show content from studios such as Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and more.
The news is also likely concerning for Apple, considering that the company recently introduced a new generation of Apple TV 4K devices and would like to keep its customers satisfied with the product. While the Basic with Ads plan from Netflix does not support 4K streaming, the lack of functionality for Netflix’s new, lower-cost plan on Apple devices is sure to be disappointing to many customers.
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.