Netflix has started rolling out the first major update to its TV app in a decade. The proposed interface changes are designed to help viewers decide what they want to watch faster.
The streaming service is looking to increase the time viewers spend in the app to retain customers and attract subscribers to its new lower-cost ad-supported plans.
The company’s research showed that users performed what is known as «eye exercises» ─ they looked around at different parts of the Netflix home screen to find content that interested them. So, when developing the new interface, the designers tried to eliminate the need to frequently shift their gaze.
«We really wanted to make it simpler, more intuitive, easier to navigate,» says Netflix CEO Pat Flemming.
Changes to the homepage included increasing headlines, reorganizing information, and highlighting easy-to-read tidbits such as TV shows or movies that «spent 8 weeks in the top 10».
Among other changes in the TV app, the menu button has been moved to the top left of the screen. A new My Netflix tab has been added to display the TV shows or movies that the user has started watching or saved to watch later.
At the same time, Netflix will continue to provide personalized offers to each user. The service is not making any changes to its recommendation algorithm as part of the redesign, Flemming said.
The updated version of Netflix’s interface has already begun rolling out to a subset of nearly 270 million users worldwide. The company will collect feedback and possibly make changes before rolling out the changes more widely.
Netflix emphasizes the duration of interaction as a key metric, telling investors that it is «the best indicator of customer satisfaction».
Source: reuters