Netflix on Android: a very practical option could arrive

Happy subscribers to the Netflix Premium package can enjoy HDR display on many contents in the catalog, including on mobile, therefore Android. Unfortunately, and particularly on Samsung terminals (including the Galaxy S24 Ultra), this technology can cause problems. By dissecting the application code, it nevertheless seems that a solution has arrived.

Soon a welcome button in Netflix

The leaker AssembleDebug and the media Android Authority got their hands on a recent version of the app on Android (version 8.117.0 build 3 50695 beta). They spotted strings of code evoking a button dedicated to displaying a stream in SDR or HDR. Currently, if content offers HDR, it is automatically activated and it is not possible to remove it. With this button, it should therefore be possible to switch to SDR on the fly.

Note that this is currently only a feature in testing. Nothing indicates that Netflix will deploy it on the stable version of its application. We will also note that this solution is not ideal for Samsung users who would still like to benefit from HDR in the best conditions. A fix to take advantage of functional HDR would still be appreciated.

Why turn off HDR?

Although HDR allows for a richer visual experience with a wider range of colors and brightness, it has been found on some Samsung devices that the result is actually darker than expected. Likewise, this technology can consume a little more data and battery than SDR, including on a laptop (Windows automatically deactivates HDR if the PC is on battery). A button to turn off HDR as needed should therefore be useful, but this won’t concern everyone.

It remains to be seen whether Netflix will deploy this button to the general public. And, if so, when.