NETFLIX downplayed Apple’s major new gadget as the streaming official said, “We’ll see what happens.”
The huge streamer is popping up on everything from mobile phones to computers to gaming consoles.
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But one area Netflix doesn’t plan on entering is Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro VR headset.
CEO Greg Peters said the company isn’t sure if people will actually use it.
This attention-grabbing technology was announced last year as a new augmented reality, the first of its kind.
Apple showed off a reel showing headset users looking at a giant virtual screen in their living rooms. The display is fully rendered by the headset.
There is also a cinema environment function and a function that makes the screen feel bigger than the room you are in.
Top boss Tim Cook said Vision Pro will “change the way we communicate, collaborate, work and be entertained.”
However, Netflix executives slammed the device as “subscale” and said they didn’t know if it would be “relevant to most members.”
“We have to be careful not to invest where we won’t actually see a return, and we’ll see how Vision Pro goes,” Peters said.
“Certainly, we’re constantly talking to Apple to resolve it, but this device is so subscale at this point that it’s not particularly relevant to most of our members.”
Peters hinted that his position could change if Apple offered the right incentives.
He said: “We have been working together for a long time and have always had lively discussions about how we can help each other.
“Sometimes you find spaces of great overlap.”
Apple Vision Pro reportedly attracted around 180,000 pre-orders in the first weekend it was available to users.
However, this number did not compare to the millions of smartphones, game consoles, and televisions on the market.
The Vision Pro will cost $3,499 (£2,753) and won’t be available until early 2024.
This comes as Netflix has finally decided to discontinue its cheapest ad-free plan, six months after it stopped offering it to new subscribers.
The so-called Basic plan costs £7.99/$11.99 per month and has been available only to existing customers since July last year.
The streaming giant suddenly removed its cheapest ad-free plan from its subscription options last year before raising prices in October.
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