Netflix is currently testing a dedicated audio-only mode for its mobile apps, specifically Android. W.while that’s no guarantee that the once-useful feature will see the light of day in a stable release, it’s promising, aAnd if you’re lucky, you can try the feature out now.
I totally understand that you are making fun of the idea of ”listening” to a movie instead of watching it, trust me. I would have had the same response as well, but we did this all the time in my early days as a technical editor. A lot of the Maximum PC staff members spent the day in the lab performing a variety of benchmark tests, building (and breaking) various components, and packing and unpacking unlimited shipping boxes. We’d hang movies to pass the time, but it’s not like we could just crouch in to watch them. We had a lot to do.
Was anything lost due to an audio experience? Of course yes, but if it’s a movie you were already fairly familiar with, it’s not possible to lose the footage – or just watch it occasionally or watch favorite scenes – that big problem. I see the same as true when you are traveling and want something more exciting to listen to than the radio (or your favorite podcasts). Why not put on your favorite movie? And sif you’re not streaming video, you should (theoretically) use a lot less of your precious mobile data cap.
To see if you are eligible for the Netflix audio-only trial, make sure you are running at least version 7.84.1 (build 28 35243) of the Android app. This is easy to check in the Google Play Store; just tap “About this app” and scroll down until you see the version number under App info.
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If possible, try to sign up for the Netflix beta at the bottom of the app list. It was full when I checked, but if you can get in it only increases the chances of being selected to test these kinds of limited release features.
A word about that: Since Netflix’s audio-only mode is a server-side unlock, you may not see it in your app, even if you’re on the most current version you can get. If you qualify, you’ll know pretty quickly when you pick up something to watch on Netflix. At the top of the display, directly above the pause button, you will see an option to turn the video on and off.
I don’t have that option so I get the normal screen, shown above. (Also blame Netflix for not allowing screenshots of the content.)
If you – fortunately – have access to the feature, you’ll also find a brand new option in Netflix’s settings screen. Under the modified Video and audio playback category in your app settings, you can choose when Netflix should default to audio only mode: always, never, or when it detects you’re using headphones or external speakers.
We don’t know when Netflix will roll out this feature to everyone, if it ever does, but we’ll report if that changes. However, I can’t wait to check out the feature as I can’t wait to enjoy movies without wasting precious data in those times when I can’t fix on my screen for hours.