I can't believe in 2025 Netflix and Apple TV still haven't worked out their issues

Summary

Apple TV app connects with various streaming services, making it convenient.
Netflix, as a major exception, does not integrate with Apple TV, requiring separate use.
Lack of Apple TV integration by Netflix seems outdated and dismisses user convenience.

The Apple TV app is unique in many ways, and my favorite part of it is that it connects directly with most major streaming services. Instead of having to open the Max app to continue watching my latest show, all I have to do is open the Apple TV app. It cuts out of the busy work of having to open up different apps, and it’s something I appreciate a lot. It’s especially handy if you’re somebody who subscribes to many different services at once. That’s something I cut down on in 2025, but I know there are people who stay subscribed to everything.

Of course, life’s not perfect, and not every streaming app plays nicely with Apple TV. Unfortunately, the app that doesn’t work with it is the biggest of them all — Netflix. Every other major streaming service works seamlessly, but for some reason, Netflix doesn’t. This means you have to go into the Netflix app itself to start watching, which is normal for most people, but Apple TV users don’t typically have to deal with this. It’s especially annoying because there was a day earlier this year when the integration was there, and everybody thought it meant Netflix was finally playing ball with Apple. This turned out to be a mistake on Netflix’s part, and the integration was revoked shortly after. For a brief moment, I got to live in a world where Netflix and Apple worked seamlessly, and I can’t figure out why it hasn’t happened for real. The time is now for the two companies to put whatever differences they have aside and make it happen.

Subscription with ads: $6.99
Premium Subscription: $15.49 or $22.99 options
Simultaneous streams: 2-4
# of profiles: 5
Originals: Yes
Live TV: No

Apple TV’s new update is long overdue, and I can’t believe it took so long

I’ve been waiting so long to get my hands on something like this, so it’s nice to finally see Apple deliver.

Come on Netflix, do the right thing

The time is now

freestocks / Pocket-lint

I won’t pretend to know how the inner workings of a corporation work, but I can’t see why these two companies would be against working with each other. There are still plenty of reasons why I’d have to open the Netflix app if the two integrated, mainly to scroll through what’s new, so it’s not like I’d never use the app again.

It’s hard to tell what led to the random integration earlier in the year, but what I can say is that it was met with a lot of enthusiasm. It’s hard to find a consumer ever upset about something that makes life easier, and there must be a reason the other streaming services are on board. As somebody who is using a first-gen Apple TV 4K, I appreciate not having to open up a bunch of apps because my device is becoming sluggish as it ages. This is one of the benefits of having everything in one spot, and it’s something that’s unique to Apple.

What’s interesting about everything is Netflix admitted it was a mistake, but an entire can of worms was opened up in the meantime. We learned that the software is ready for Netflix to fully integrate with Apple TV, so there’s something holding it up. I can’t imagine how something like this could accidentally be flipped on like it was, so something bizarre must be going on behind the scenes. Whether it’s a disagreement between the two companies, I don’t know, but I hope they can get something figured out. I use my Apple TV 4K every day, so I can’t even begin to tell you how much I’d appreciate an upgrade like this.

Sadly, companies don’t often do what I want, so I have to deal with what they’ve given me. Netflix not being included in the Apple TV app isn’t the end of the world as it’s the only one that doesn’t participate. Sure, it’s annoying, but it’s something I can deal with. Having a giant watchlist available is certainly nice, and it’s a good thing I can continue to do things like that even without Netflix. Of course, having Netflix would make it better, but I can deal with it not being there. Besides, I started to use Letterboxd as my watchlist thanks to the ease of it all.

Apple TV and remote in front of Yosemite.

Customizing my Apple TV’s aerial screen savers was easier than I thought

Apple TV’s 4K built-in aerial screensavers are a feast for the eyes.

Outdated thinking is exhausting

Get with the times

Back in 2018, Netflix’s co-founder said there wasn’t going to be any integration with Apple TV because he preferred Netflix subscribers find content through the Netflix app. Obviously, that makes a lot of sense, but that was several years ago. The streaming landscape has changed so much since then, and major players today weren’t even thought about then. For example, Max wasn’t even a thing then, and despite the constant name changes, it’s one of the most popular services today.

At this point, I can’t imagine any streamer catching Netflix, and that’s what years of building up brand recognition can do for you. If Netflix allowed Apple integration, it’s not even like they’d be losing customers because you’d still need to be subscribed to Netflix to watch something on the service. Considering Netflix has far more first-party picks compared to 2018, there are many reasons to become a subscriber, no matter how much I and others don’t like the direction of the platform. When you’re this far ahead, I can get not wanting to make deals with competing platforms, but I don’t see a downside for this specific situation.

On the other hand, we’re seeing companies like Xbox concede they’ve lost the console battle and start releasing their content elsewhere just to make up some lost costs. This means games like Gears of War and Sea of Thieves pop up on PS5, and I can easily see something like Halo coming soon. I don’t expect to see Stranger Things appear on Apple TV+, and there’s no reason for Netflix to do anything like that. However, I don’t see what it would hurt if Netflix just let me add Strange Things to my Apple TV watchlist. At this point in time, I don’t see any reason integration can’t happen outside of pure spite. I hope Netflix changes its mind, because that was a really good day for me when everything worked in the Apple TV app. It’s just a shame Netflix doesn’t have the average consumer in mind, because this would be a win-win for everybody, at least in my eyes.