On the screen, the irrevocable message Netflix is no longer available on this device is theoretically preceded by a warning of the type From November 11, 2024, Netflix will no longer be available on this device.
The manufacturer is supposed to give you a few weeks to find a fallback solution. In recent months, Panasonic and LG have applied this modus operandi.
Even €20,000 televisions cannot escape the end of Netflix
Example: on July 24, 2024, 42 Sony Bravia television models from 2014 faced “[…] the end of the Netflix service”, “[…] due to technical limitations”, says the Japanese manufacturer’s online speech.
The measure affected all market segments indiscriminately, entry-level, mid-range and high-end.
Under these conditions, this is a rather bitter pill to swallow for those who paid €19,999 in 2014 for the flagship of the range, the Sony Bravia KD-85X9505B. Ten years later, the operating system of this TV is no longer able to launch the Netflix application.
Who is responsible, Netflix or the TV manufacturer?
If Sony cites technical limitations, Panasonic directly blames the streaming service on this page: “Please note that Netflix has decided to terminate the Netflix application on certain models of Panasonic TVs as of September 9, 2024.”
The reality is more complex.
Netflix regularly updates its application, in particular to strengthen security. An update to the smart TV’s operating system may be required to accommodate this. However, manufacturers end up neglecting or completely abandoning these updates for older smart TVs.
Fortunately, there are simple solutions to continue enjoying Netflix on the screen of your aging smart TV.
First backup plan: use a device you already own
It’s entirely possible that a working version of the Netflix app is available on a device already connected to your TV via an HDMI cable:
- Sony PlayStation or Microsoft Xbox video game console.
- Blu-ray or Ultra HD Blu-ray player with connected functions.
- Android box or stick.
- Apple TV box (from the fourth generation).
- Proximus Pickx TV decoder, either via channel 57 or via the Netflix app on the Android TV Box.
Second backup plan: invest in a Chromecast with Google TV
Provided you have a free HDMI port, the small Chromecast box with Google TV transforms any television into the latest generation smart TV. Price: €39.99 (HD resolution), €69.99 (4K).
Assembled by Google, the device connects to an electrical outlet and to your Wi-Fi network to inject an interface onto the screen via HDMI that gives pride of place to applications (Netflix, Disney +, Spotify, etc.).
Namely: the Chromecast with Google TV is set to take a step aside in favor of the new Google TV Streamer, richer but more expensive (€119). It’s a commercial withdrawal, but the presence of the Google TV interface on the old Chromecast should ensure it has a long lifespan.
Third backup plan: HDMI cable from laptop to TV
After connecting the laptop to the television via an HDMI cable, simply connect to your Netflix account via the browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.) to watch films, series and TV directly on the big screen.
Downside of this configuration: the absence of a remote control, which can be compensated by using a small wireless keyboard with trackpad.
Other solutions to recover Netflix on smart TV
Other options exist for injecting Netflix onto a smart TV whose operating system no longer has the right to use the streaming application. But most (AirPlay, Chromecast) make the tablet or smartphone the communication tool with the television, which is not a solution easily accessible to the whole family.
