Netflix Takes Cues From Traditional TV As They Test "Watch Now" Feature

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In this photo illustration the Netflix logo is seen on September 19, 2014 in Paris, France. Netflix September 15 launched service in France, the first of six European countries planned in the coming months.
The Netflix takeover continues.

Netflix might have some competitors in the streaming world like Disney+, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video (shout out to Hell's Kitchen), but they continue to dominate the market. According to Variety, they're still taking steps to seemingly compete with traditional television with their new "Watch Now" feature. The company has been testing out a new feature on their television apps that allows user to skip on browsing and go straight into streaming what they were watching last.

The "Watch Now" feature appears on the profile selection page but for those who've already jumped into app, there's an option to use the feature on the sidebar. "Watch Now" will allow users to immediately jump into the next episode of whatever they were watching a title in their personal list. Netflix algorithms are also used to choose along with an explanation of why that title was chosen.

The "Watch Now" feature appears to have been paired up with a "Play Something Else" button. That feature will simply allow a user to check out some of Netflix's recommendations without having to browse. TVs and TV-connected devices, including Roku and Fire TV streaming devices, are the only devices these features are being tested on. However, it's only a small percentage of users that Netflix is testing this out with for a month or two. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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