Netflix Makes Itself Less Useful, Removes Casting With No Explanation

from the enshittify-the-world dept

All out of original ideas and facing market growth saturation, we’ve noted repeatedly how streaming companies are increasingly looking like the stodgy old traditional cable TV giants they once disrupted. That means a lot of pointless mergers, endless price hikes, a steady erosion of quality, and the slow paring back of useful features (like going easy on password sharing).

The latest case in point: fresh on the heels of its latest price hike, Netflix is removing customers’ ability to cast streams to most home devices and smart televisions. The change came with absolutely no warning, removed a core feature, and Netflix refuses to tell anybody why it made the decision:

“The casting changes announced on Netflix’s support page do not explain why the feature has been removed. It follows a similar move in 2019 when Netflix removed AirPlay support, citing a desire to “ensure our standard of quality for viewing is being met.” We have reached out to Netflix for comment.”

After a week or two of pressure, Netflix will likely come out with some inane explanation about how they’re just “improving the customer experience,” despite the fact the justification makes no sense.

I suspect the real reason is Netflix is trying to make it more difficult for users to share their Netflix streaming services on their mobile phones while at other peoples’ homes, in the hopes of forcing your friends and relatives to sign up for Netflix. A choice that may or may not be supported by any actual real-world data.

This is the path of enshittification. It’s not good enough to offer a good product people like. The need for relentless quarterly growth means that inevitably companies find the easiest route is not to nurture useful and interesting new innovations, but to engage in a sort of cannibalization of the underlying brand. Endless price hikes; endless cut corners and feature erosion.

That’s likely going to accelerate with Netflix’s planned acquisition of Warner Brothers, which, if allowed by the Trump administration, means a massive new debt load the company will then cut even more corners to accommodate for. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Pay more, get less, then get scolded as entitled by industry executives who can no longer see the forest for the trees.

Filed Under: alternatives, cable, casting, enshittification, streaming, tv, video

Companies: netflix