With YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram shaping how people watch video on their phones, Netflix is preparing a major mobile app makeover designed for a more social-first world. In its fourth-quarter earnings update, the company revealed plans to redesign its mobile experience and expand the short-form video feature it’s been testing—moves that could also help spotlight Netflix’s newly announced lineup of original video podcasts.
Netflix says the revamped mobile app is scheduled to arrive later in 2026. Co-CEO Greg Peters described the redesign as a long-term foundation that will support the company’s growth “over the decade to come.” Rather than being a one-and-done refresh, the new setup is meant to make it easier for Netflix to continuously iterate, test, evolve, and improve how people discover and engage with content on their phones.
A key piece of the redesign is a deeper push into vertical video feeds. Netflix has been experimenting with swipeable, short clips since May, presenting highlights from its movies and series in a scrolling format that will feel familiar to anyone who uses TikTok or Instagram Reels. Peters suggested Netflix can expand this feed with clips tied to “new content types,” including video podcasts—signaling that Netflix sees snackable, swipe-friendly clips as a powerful way to grab attention, keep viewers browsing, and increase time spent in the app.
At the same time, Netflix is making a more direct move into video podcasts, an area where YouTube has long set the pace. This week, Netflix launched its first original video podcasts, featuring recognizable personalities like Pete Davidson and Michael Irvin. The company is also working with major podcast partners to bring established video podcast libraries to Netflix, including agreements involving Spotify and iHeartMedia.
Combined, these efforts point to a broader strategy: make Netflix feel less like a place you open only when you already know what you want to watch, and more like a destination for everyday discovery—closer to the habit-forming experience of social video platforms. Still, Netflix has been careful to frame its approach as experimentation, not imitation, emphasizing that the goal is strengthening entertainment discovery with mobile-first features rather than trying to copy any specific app.
During the earnings discussion, co-CEO Ted Sarandos also spoke to how streaming competition is changing. Netflix, he argued, isn’t just battling other streaming services anymore—it’s competing with the entire entertainment ecosystem for creators, viewers’ attention, and both advertising and subscription spending. With major cultural moments and premium content spreading across platforms, the boundaries around “TV” and where people watch it continue to blur.
Sarandos also touched on Netflix’s evolving approach to film releases, pointing to a recent shift in its theatrical strategy as the company prepares to acquire Warner Bros. The remarks suggest Netflix is increasingly open to hybrid distribution models as the lines between cinema, streaming, and social-style content become less distinct.
The business results help explain why Netflix is investing in new viewing formats and discovery tools. In 2025, the company reported $45.2 billion in revenue, with advertising revenue climbing past $1.5 billion. Netflix also surpassed 325 million paid subscriptions in the fourth quarter—momentum that sets the stage for its next big mobile-focused evolution.
