Netflix says it’ll no longer be available on second- and third-generation Apple TVs, which came out more than a decade ago.
Netflix will stop working on older Apple TVs
The streaming service says it’s dropping support for second- and third-generation Apple TVs.
The streaming service says it’s dropping support for second- and third-generation Apple TVs.
Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge
is a senior science reporter covering energy and the environment with more than a decade of experience. She is also the host of Hell or High Water: When Disaster Hits Home, a podcast from Vox Media and Audible Originals.
The company said in an email to customers that the move is meant to “maintain the best possible Netflix experience.” The change is expected to happen after July 31st, AppleInsider and MacRumors report. Netflix also updated its support page with the news.
The first three generations of Apple TVs are already considered “obsolete” by Apple, which discontinues service for hardware seven years after it has stopped selling a product.
Netflix has stopped support for other old devices, including aging Samsung and Vizio smart TVs and first-generation Roku boxes in 2019. That happened because Netflix had switched from Windows Media DRM to Microsoft’s PlayReady DRM.
Netflix didn’t get into specifics about why it made the decision to end support for second- and third-generation Apple TVs now. But both generations are so old that they don’t have Apple’s App Store. In an email to The Verge, the company said it made the call based on security reasons. “From time to time, Netflix retires support for older devices to ensure our security commitment to our members,” Netflix communications director Kumiko Hidaka said in an email.
For anyone looking to upgrade, Verizon is currently offering a $40 discount on the latest Apple TV 4K.
Update, June 5th: Added a response from Netflix.
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