Netflix has become the first major global streaming service to tap into the advantages of the new iPhone’s dual screen hardware.
On Monday, the streamer said it refreshed its iPhone app with a redesign that makes videos stream natively on the iPhone Duo, a foldable smartphone introduced earlier this month.
The application supports full-screen, book, tent and tabletop viewing modes, allowing users to access playback controls without having to reposition the device. The controls also feature a reflective lighting effect that responds to the angle of the device’s hinge, providing a visual indication of how the application adapts to different screen positions.
Additional features are in development, including the ability to transition between vertically and horizontally oriented video clips without interrupting playback. Netflix said the feature will support frame-accurate switching between the two formats, although it did not announce a specific release date.
The changes are part of a broader effort by Netflix to develop features specifically for mobile devices rather than adapting its television application for smaller screens: The company said its mobile experience has evolved considerably since it first introduced Netflix to Apple’s ecosystem in 2010. At the time, the application largely replicated the television viewing experience. Netflix subsequently introduced offline downloads in 2016, allowing subscribers to watch selected programming without an Internet connection.
The company has since expanded its mobile-specific features, including changes to navigation and the introduction of short-form video recommendations.
Earlier this year, Netflix redesigned its mobile navigation to make it easier for subscribers to discover programming and introduced Clips, a personalized collection of short excerpts from television series, movies and specials. The feature allows users to preview programming through a feed of short videos before deciding whether to watch a full title. Netflix plans to expand Clips in 2027 with themed categories organized around specific genres, moods and interests.
Netflix said the additional categories will provide more targeted recommendations and help subscribers navigate its programming catalog. The planned changes also reflect Netflix’s recognition that some subscribers primarily or exclusively use mobile devices to watch its programming.
“Every new device or capability is a chance to explore and experiment,” the company said in a statement on Monday. “After more than 15 years serving our members on mobile, we’re excited to keep evolving our experience to move with our members, all the way to iPhone Duo and beyond.”
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The announcement comes about a week after Netflix reported a mixed third quarter (Q3) report, one that reflected higher overall revenue — $12.87 billion during the quarter, up nearly 12 percent on a year-over basis — but one that also acknowledged concerns over slower international growth and a dip in engagement among its subscribers.
“We know there’s some investor concern about our view hours growth,” Netflix executives wrote in a letter to shareholders released last Tuesday. “Member response to our 2026 price increases is consistent with prior price changes and our expectations, an indicator that our engagement — which encompasses quantity, quality and variety of viewing — remains healthy and that we continue to deliver strong value to members.”
