Netflix is launching HDR video on Android today, offering access to higher quality videos on the go — but unfortunately, it’ll only be available on one phone. The news was first spotted by Phandroid.
Netflix adds HDR video to Android (if you have an LG G6)
That phone is the LG G6, which is the only phone to offer Dolby Vision HDR so far. Phandroid posits that its unique Dolby Vision support may be the reason LG’s device is the only phone capable of HDR playback so far, but Netflix tells the The Verge that wasn’t the reason for its selection, specifying that it supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats.
The LG G6 will be the only phone able to take advantage of the update (for now)
As a brief side note, while the Galaxy S8 does have an HDR display as well, Samsung is using a new standard, called Mobile HDR Premium, that Netflix doesn’t seem to be actively supporting at this time.
Like HDR video on Netflix for other platforms, HDR on Android will only be available to subscribers to Netflix’s top-tier 4K streaming plan. The Android update should be rolling out soon, and a full list of the titles supported is available through Netflix’s search.
Update May 10th, 9:30PM ET: Netflix has clarified that it supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats, and the G6’s Dolby Vision support is not the reason that the company enabled the feature on the phone.
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