when it comes to video streaming companies, few are as iconic as Netflix. What started out as a DVD rental service quickly turned into the world's largest platform for binging old movies, classic TV shows, and a heap of original programming.
No matter if you're looking to cut your cable cord or simply want some extra content to supplement it, Netflix can be a great addition to any household's entertainment needs.
To ensure it has exactly what you're looking for in a video service, here's everything you need to know!
May 17, 2018 — HDR playback comes to four new Android phones
Netflix is constantly supporting more and more phones for HDR playback, and most recently, the company rolled out this functionality to four new handsets.
This time around, HDR playback is coming to the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro, Huawei Mate 10 Pro, and the Sony Xperia XZ2.
April 19, 2018: Mobile Previews are Netflix's take on Snapchat Stories
Ever since Snapchat popularized the Stories format, we've seen it expand to Instagram, Facebook, and even Google search. On April 19, Netflix announced it was launching its own take on stories with its Mobile Previews feature.
Launching first on iOS and coming soon to Android, Mobile Previews will show up as circles at the top of the Netflix app and showcase a 30-second vertical preview of recommended shows.
Plans start at just $7.99/month
Netflix has three main plans to choose from, including Basic, Standard, and Premium.
Basic is the cheapest plan with a subscription fee of just $7.99/month, but since it's limited to Standard Definition and only allows you to have one stream going at a time, you'll likely want to upgrade to the Standard tier for $10.99/month. With Standard, you'll get access to HD streams and can watch Netflix on up to 2 screens at once.
If you've got a 4K television and/or have a big family that wants to use one account, Netflix's Premium plan will likely be the best fit. For $13.99/month, you'll get access to Ultra HD video content and can watch any shows you'd like on 4 different screens at once.
New members can sign up for a 1-month free trial of whatever plan you'd like, and you can cancel at any time as there's no commitment required.
Netflix's current pricing is more than reasonable, but if you happen to be a T-Mobile customer, you'll get it for free!
T-Mobile subscribers get Netflix's Standard plan bundled with their cell service at no extra charge, and if you want to upgrade to the Premium tier, you'll pay just $3/month extra.
It's available on pretty much everything
In addition to its excellent library of content, one of Netflix's strong suits is its wide availability across pretty much any gadget you can think of.
For watching Netflix on the big screen, you can download its official app on Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, cast it from your phone using Chromecast, and access built-in apps across a variety of smart TVs and Blu-Ray players.
You'll also find the Netflix app on Android, iOS, Windows Phone, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and from your desktop/laptop at netflix.com.
The Android app recently got a big overhaul
Netflix's Android app is one of the best ways to access the service, and it recently got a big update that makes everything look much more polished.
The old navigation menu on the left-hand side has been replaced for a simple navigation row at the bottom for Home, Search, Downloads, and More. Home is where you'll be taken upon opening the app and tapping the TV Shows, Movies, and Originals tabs near the top will allow you to quickly filter the content that's presented to you.
The Search and Downloads sections are pretty self-explanatory, and More is where you'll be able to switch profiles, customize notifications, and adjust all of your other account/app settings.
Everything works about the same as it did before, but the new layout is still greatly appreciated and considerably easier to understand.
New content's being added (and removed) all the time
Every month, Netflix changes its content library by adding and removing titles from its lineup. The company's taken a big bet on original movies and TV shows over the last few years, but you can still find a wide array of third-party content, too.
The Netflix app does a pretty good job at highlighting new/trending content as it's released, and Joseph Keller at iMore does a regular roundup of the best shows you should be watching at any given time.
Some Android phones support HDR playback
You can still rent physical DVDs
Although renting physical DVDs to customers may not be its primary focus anymore, this is something that Netflix does still offer.
The DVD business has since been moved to DVD.com, but it's just a full-featured as ever before. Plans start at $4.99/month to rent one disc at a time with a cap of two discs per month, or you can step all the way up to $11.99/month to have two discs out at once and rent as many movies as you want each month (prices are increased to $5.99/month and $14.99/month respectively for HD Blu-Ray).
Netflix finally brought its DVD app to Android in October of 2017, and while the service may not be nearly as popular as the on-demand streaming platform, it's still alive and kicking for anyone that wants to see that iconic red envelope in their mailbox.
What are you waiting for?
If you somehow still haven't checked out Netflix, you owe it to yourself to at least sign up for a free trial. My fiance and I use Netflix just about every day, and whether you're using it to re-watch The Office for the eighth time or catch up on the latest Marvel movies, it's well worth every penny.
