Netflix, the world’s largest streaming service by paying subscribers, has announced a massive overhaul of its mobile app coming in late 2026, with shorts- and reels-style content for phones taking centre stage.
The revamp was announced during an investor call for the company’s fourth quarter 2025 results last week.
“We’ve been testing vertical video features for some time, about six months or so. We’ve had a vertical video feed in the mobile experience that’s been available for several months. That feed is filled with clips of Netflix shows and movies. You can imagine us bringing more clips based on new content types like video podcasts,” said Netflix chief financial officer Spencer Neumann during the earnings call.
“Really, this is part of a broader upgrade of our mobile experience. Just as you’ve seen us do with the new TV user interface, we’re working on a new mobile UI that will better serve the expansion of our business over the decade to come. We’re going to roll this out later in 2026.”
The move comes as competition for eyeballs intensifies, with mobile-first, vertical short-form content from social media sites like TikTok putting traditional linear broadcasters and streamers under pressure to keep users engaged.
Netflix is not the only streamer taking short-form content seriously. Earlier this month, Hong Kong-headquartered Viu, which has operations in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Oceania and Africa, announced the addition of a new vertical video section on its mobile app offering one- to three-minute micro-dramas.
Market trends
According to Viu country manager for South Africa, Elouise Kelly, the decision to go the short-content route was influenced by the company’s observation of market trends and shifts in consumer behaviour.
“The thinking is that viewer consumption and habits have changed over the years, driven by access to short-form content on platforms like TikTok. We have also noticed a rise in the consumption of non-user generated short-form content through different apps like DramaBox and ReelShort,” said Kelly.
Read: Television at 50 | How the internet broke the broadcast schedule
Reels are only part of Netflix’s broader strategy of using varied content formats to improve the stickiness of its platform. Gaming, which has been a staple on the Netflix app since 2021, is also growing rapidly, with a shift to cloud gaming and live gaming events also planned as the year progresses.
Another area of expansion, which Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos mentioned in the call, is live sports. Netflix’s sports offering grew rapidly in 2025, with the addition of WWE Monday Night Raw, live NFL broadcasts on Christmas and major boxing events including Taylor vs Serrano II in July. The planned 2026 additions include Major League Baseball and analysis shows around the upcoming Fifa football World Cup.
The growth of alternative content offerings on Netflix does not overshadow the company’s core series and movie offering. Sarandos said the ongoing bid for Warner Bros Discovery is key to bolstering Netflix’s theatrical distribution business, which will continue to be supplemented by reels, gaming and live sports to provide viewers with a holistic entertainment experience.
Netflix on Wednesday bolstered its offer for Warner Bros Discovery’s studio and streaming assets to US$82.7-billion in cash. Both Netflix and Paramount Skydance covet Warner Bros for its leading film and television studios, extensive content library and major franchises such as Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and DC Comics’ superheroes Batman and Superman.
Paramount has engaged in an aggressive media campaign to try to convince shareholders that its bid is superior. Although the deal remains subject to regulatory approval, Sarandos said he is confident a Netflix win is good for the broader market.
Read: Viu takes on social media giants with new ‘shorts’ feature
“We compete for people’s attention across an even wider set of options that include streaming, broadcast, cable, gaming, social media and big tech video platforms. Our deal strengthens the marketplace, and it ensures healthy competition that will benefit consumers and protect and create jobs. That’s why we’re confident in the approval,” said Sarandos. – © 2026 NewsCentral Media
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