Netflix brings a long-awaited feature to its Android users after initial iPhone exclusivity
Under siege from all sides of the video streaming industry, as Disney and Apple are ramping up their business diversification efforts, Netflix is reportedly cooking up a bunch of big changes aimed at both retaining and expanding the company's already huge subscriber base. But before the popular VOD app gets a major redesign and affordable mobile-only plans are given the global green light, a smaller update is being rolled out as we speak for Android binge-watchers.
While not exactly game-changing in the traditional sense of the word, the new feature available in the official Netflix app for Android devices according to 91Mobiles will make life significantly easier for Instagram users. These can now share their favorite movies and TV shows with the social network's popular Stories tool, which sounds like a decidedly win - win scenario for Netflix and Instagram.
If you're wondering how come this functionality hasn't been available earlier, it's important to point out iPhone users actually received native support for Instagram Stories sharing of Netflix titles way back in January. Unfortunately, even after all this time, it seems not every Android binge-watcher around the world can take advantage of the convenient new feature.
This writer, for instance, has an updated Netflix Android app that still only allows him to share titles via Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Twitter, and a few other instant messaging services. If you see the option to share to Instagram Stories, all you have to do is tap on it after already tapping on the particular movie or show you want to recommend to your followers, then add a sticker or a comment to your story, which will include Netflix's cover art as standard.
That's a very straightforward and simple way to improve the social networking angle of the world's most popular streaming platform for a potential audience of 500 million people.
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