Heads up: If you see an error message on your TV saying you'll lose Netflix on that device as of December 1, 2019, here's why that showed up and what you can do about it.
Here's what Netflix posted on its own Help Center site:
If you see an error that says:'Due to technical limitations, Netflix will no longer be available on this device after December 1st, 2019. Please visit netflix.com/compatibledevices for a list of available devices.'It means that, due to technical limitations, your device will no longer be able to stream Netflix after the specified date.This message will appear multiple times before the specified date as a reminder. To continue streaming, you'll need to switch to a compatible device prior to that date. To see a list of compatible devices, visit netflix.com/compatibledevices.
That netflix.com/compatibledevices site lists Streaming Media Players, Smart TVs, Game Consoles, and Set-top Boxes where Netflix is still available.
What are some of the devices losing Netflix? Samsung posted a message to its customers, warning that some of its older models might start showing that Netflix error message:
Although some of our older TV's (2010 and 2011 models, with C or D after the screen size in the model code) will no longer support Netflix directly beginning December 1st, 2019, many other devices you may have connected to your TV are still supported. You can find a list from Netflix at netflix.com/compatibledevices. As long as you have one of the supported devices, like a game console, streaming media player, or set-top box, you'll still be able to watch Netflix on your TV.
Yes, as Samsung notes, you can still watch Netflix even on an older TV if you access Netflix through a different device like a game console.
According to Life Hacker, these Roku devices will also no longer support Netflix:
Roku 2000CRoku 2050XRoku 2100XRoku HDRoku SDRoku XDRoku XRAny other Roku devices that cannot auto-play the next episode
That's not a full list of affected devices, and so far it doesn't seem clear exactly how many devices will lose Netflix on December 1, 2019.
I have to say, it's interesting timing for this to happen, since Disney+ is arriving on the market as a major threat to Netflix as of November 12. And just a few weeks later, Netflix is potentially losing some customers if they can't figure out how to get Netflix another way. Not everyone is tech-savvy or interested in jumping through hoops to access a service that was previously easy to use.
Plus, this is on top of the whole #CancelNetflix movement from a couple of months ago, in reaction to recent popular series cancellations. Not to mention the whole Hollywood backlash to Netflix's potential new playback speed feature. That said, Netflix does have a lot of great originals worth subscribing to see, which is what it's banking on to save it from Disney+, Apple, HBO, Peacock, etc. It also has some key releases like Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, which is getting a very limited run in theaters before arriving on Netflix at the end of November.
Have you seen that Netflix error message pop up, or know someone who will be dealing with it? If so, can you share the device you use and how you are planning to access Netflix ... unless you are just dropping it?
