Netflix has a plan to fix its Meta Quest 3 app… leave it and use the browser
It’s no secret that the Netflix app on the Meta Quest 3 is absolute garbage. It barely works with low-resolution videos and has poor optimization; there’s no reason to install it even if you have an active Netflix subscription. But Meta and Netflix just announced a plan to change the Netflix VR experience: ditch the app and try a new approach.
That is, “in the coming days” – according to the Quest blog, where it also announced the Meta Connect 2024 dates – you can launch Netflix in the Quest 3 web browser to enjoy shows and movies ‘in high resolution’. Presumably this means at least full HD, but we don’t count our chickens until they hatch, and in trying out the service we’ve discovered just how sharp the images are.
The message states that you can enjoy the show on a flat 2D screen or in a theater view with a curved screen – just like other browser-based VR experiences.
A much needed video upgrade
I never really thought about VR video streaming on Quest until the Apple Vision Pro was released and proved how poorly Horizon OS did in this department.
The Quest 3 has some of the best streaming services as dedicated apps, and the apps it does have, like Netflix, aren’t worth installing. The Vision Pro, on the other hand, is packed with great video streaming services, including a Disney Plus app that streams 3D videos directly to the headset.
This Netflix update isn’t quite on the same level, but it’s a solid start and is hopefully a sign of future updates for other video platforms coming soon. I had hoped such an update would come in preparation for an LG OLED-equipped Meta Quest Pro 2; While the software may still arrive, LG’s recent comments have me concerned that the Meta Quest Pro 2 partnership may not happen.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens on the hardware front, but for now we can just enjoy the fact that the Quest 3 finally has a worthwhile Netflix experience.