Observers note the widespread popularity of vertical videos, with users frequently engaging with them on mobile devices in various settings, from public transport to private spaces. This format, prominent on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, is now expanding beyond small screens into home entertainment systems. While YouTube has offered Shorts for viewing on televisions for some time, major subscription services focused on extended content are beginning to investigate similar options.
Disney recently announced plans to introduce vertical videos on its Disney+ platform. Netflix has followed suit, expressing interest in incorporating what it calls 'verts' into its offerings.
Disney's approach includes openness to any innovations that could position Disney+ as an essential daily viewing hub. On the Netflix side, the company is evaluating vertical shorts within a broader overhaul of its mobile application design. Co-CEO Greg Peters highlighted their potential for delivering additional snippets tied to emerging formats, such as video podcasts.
Despite initial reservations about the format's appeal, the integration of vertical content on mobile versions of Disney+ and Netflix appears practical, particularly for elements like podcasts— an area Netflix is entering— and promotional previews for ongoing and forthcoming series and films.
Netflix has previously experimented with vertical promotional clips in its mobile interface, providing an efficient way to discover content that surpasses the repetitive horizontal browsing on its television application.
However, extending these short vertical clips to large home displays raises concerns, as their compact, personal, and fleeting nature aligns more closely with on-the-go consumption rather than expansive viewing experiences on devices like 80-inch OLED televisions.
This development echoes the short-lived Quibi service, supported by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman, which debuted in 2020 with premium vertical dramatic shorts for mobile audiences. It ceased operations after only six months, resulting in about $1.7 billion in lost investments. Roku subsequently acquired its content library, converting the shorts to horizontal 'Roku Originals,' before discontinuing them in 2023.
Similar efforts by established long-form providers like Disney+, Netflix, and HBO Max to bring vertical videos to televisions may face comparable resistance from audiences.
Ben has covered technology and consumer electronics for over two decades. He has contributed to PCWorld since 2014 and joined TechHive in 2019, reporting on topics including smart speakers, sound systems, lighting solutions, and home security devices. His work has also featured in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and other outlets. He possesses a master's degree in English literature.