Netflix Discontinues Quest App Following Browser Streaming Quality Bump

Netflix Removes App from Quest Content Store

Netflix has made the decision to remove its video streaming app from the Quest content store, as reported by UploadVR. Users who had previously downloaded the app will no longer be able to use it.

Despite this change, users can still watch Netflix on Quest through the Quest Browser, which now supports streaming in 1080p. This is a significant improvement from the app’s previous 480p resolution, which lacked support for mixed reality passthrough and downloads.

The Netflix app was originally released in 2015 for Samsung Gear VR and developed by former Meta CTO John Carmack. However, it received minimal updates over the years, with the last update in 2019 coinciding with the launch of the original Quest.

Developing a new official Netflix app for Quest is not a simple task. Netflix requires devices to be certified in order to exceed the 480p resolution cap, which involves meeting technical requirements, undergoing testing, and potentially negotiating a licensing agreement—tasks that Meta would need to undertake.

While Quest offers native apps for Amazon Prime Video, Pluto TV, MLB, and the Meta TV app, it does not currently support Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, and HBO Max.