Netflix launched its ad-supported plan nearly four months ago, but it failed to cater to a significant number of devices. Android products that ran on version 6 or earlier, the Netflix application for Windows, and the Playstation 3 all could not run it. The primary issue, however, was that Apple devices running iOS 14 or earlier were unable to support the service.
Nonetheless, the Netflix ad-supported plan will be available on the tvOS app starting this week. tvOS is the operating system that currently runs on the 4th and 5th generation of Apple TVs. This update was brought to light by Reddit user Websgeisti on Wednesday, who noted that Netflix’s Basic with Ads plan is now accessible on the latest version of the Netflix app on Apple TV.
Netflix has confirmed to TechCrunch that tvOS now supports the cheaper, ad-supported tier.
Despite the delay in expanding to more supported devices, Netflix has previously expressed satisfaction with the success of its new plan. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Jeremi Gorman, Netflix’s President of Worldwide Advertising, stated that there is a “broad swath” of advertisers on the platform.
A month after the launch of the tier, analytics reported that only 9% of new Netflix subscribers in the United States signed up for the cheaper plan, with most opting for the more expensive, ad-free tiers.
