Netflix is putting an end to updates for older iOS devices in an attempt to strengthen its focus on modern devices and security (and likely to lighten the load on its development team). This will specifically affect users still making use of iOS 16 on their devices.
Users capable of updating their iPhone or iPad to iOS 17 will be safe, although the update would be mandatory in order to install the latest version of the Netflix app. They will be met with a notice when trying to update if they are still making use of iOS 16.
iOS first came out in 2022, which doesn’t make it that old, but it is less of a focus on the OS as it is devices that are incapable of upgrading to anything newer. These devices were released well before iOS 16 came out, making them less capable of modern security and features than the devices that came after.
Netflix is still capable of updating its app if it deems it important enough. Thus if a heavy enough security concern rears its head, it can still squash it. This just simply means that it has no interest in developing support for older operating systems. The app will also continue to function just fine (for now) but will slowly cease to function over time or may suddenly stop working at any time.
Thankfully, most users who have the ability to update likely just haven’t done so yet because they haven’t gotten around to it. Moving to iOS 17, or the new iOS 18 that launches this month, is a positive move forward for users.
