Netflix is updating its user interface to make it more intuitive. It is not the first time that Netflix has updated its home page, but it describes this a “giant leap forward”. It calls it Flexible, Intuitive, Responsive, and Elevated. FIRE. Interesting choice of acronym.
“The new Netflix TV experience is still the one you know and love — just better,” said chief product officer Eunice Kim. “When we first started thinking about this project, we wanted to create an experience that was more flexible for our broad entertainment offerings, more intuitive and responsive to our members’ needs, and capable of elevating the most thrilling moments on Netflix.”
The new homepage has a clean and modern design. It will be rolled out around the world in the coming weeks and months. “All of these features are about getting people to press play and stay,” she said.
Among the changes are moving the search option from the left margin to the top of the screen. There is a new tab called “My Netflix” that includes My List, Reminders, and Continue Watching rails. The back button takes you back to the top menu.
There are better realtime recommendations that are supposed to be more responsive to the moods and interests of the viewer.
Starting with an opt-in trial for mobile users on iOS, there is also the option to search using conversational phrases, like “I want something funny and upbeat.”
Pandering to the preference for phone users to hold their phone in portrait mode, Netflix is also testing a vertical feed with clips of shows, like on social media apps.
“What’s most exciting to me is how our new TV experience gives us the ability to evolve and innovate more easily going forward,” said chief technology officer Elizabeth Stone. “That’s how we’re going to make the Netflix people know even better. And it’s how we’ll continue to connect them with even more shows, movies and games they’ll love.”
The use of recommendations will use more information to personalise what people see on their home screen. “Everything will happen seamlessly in the background, you won’t even notice it happening. It will just be magically easier to find something to watch.”
Given that many online video services have imitated the Netflix user interface on the basis that if it works for Netflix it will work for them, it will be interesting to see how many of these developments are picked up elsewhere.