Netflix Adds ‘Upcoming Titles’ Section to App, but Fans Have Some Complaints

Netflix has added a section for “Upcoming Titles” on its TV app, but not all viewers care for it. The new feature is meant to drum up excitement for new additions to the catalogue, and to remind viewers that Netflix‘s slate is constantly changing. For some, however, it is just an unwelcome tease.

Netflix’s new “Upcoming Titles” section was announced on Monday. According to a report by Variety, it will start to appear on users’ TVs and other devices later this week and into the next. The section will be visible on the sidebar within the app, so as not to be confused with current offers.

So far, the best example of how the feature will look is a screenshot of a teaser for 13 Reasons Why Season 3. It is virtually indistinguishable from a currently available show, except that the subtitle card reads: “Season 3 Coming Friday.”

Fans have their fair share of complaints about this feature. For starters, some already feel inundated with Netflix content, both in and out of the app. Given the ubiquity of Netflix trailers and teasers all across social media, some feel that this new feature will be redundant at best.

“I’d rather be able to turn off their annoying auto-playing-trailers feature…” one user tweeted.

“Well, I’m not sure it’s possible to make [Netflix’s] UI much worse… So this is probably a good thing even though I hate seeing all the previews at theaters,” added another ruefully.

Other users embraced the new feature, feeling that it did cut out some of the middlemen for Netflix announcements. A few even noted they’ve been hoping for a feature like this.

“Finally,” one person tweeted, “I usually use my mobile app just to see what’s coming.”

Tech writer Sarah Perez speculates that the new “Upcoming Releases” section is likely a bid to hold onto subscribers. Writing for Tech Crunch, she noted that the section will be personalized to the user’s preferences and will inform them when a show they love or a similar one has new episodes. All of this, she writes, is meant to emphasize “the value they receive from their Netflix subscription.”

Of course, Netflix is facing an onslaught of new competition in a marketplace it once dominated. new streaming services are on the way, many with more built-in franchises and intellectual property that viewers are already invested in. These include Disney+ HBO Max, Apple TV+ and the new additions coming to Hulu since the company was purchased by Disney.

Hopefully, this and other new features will help Netflix compete in its growing field, while in the meantime it works on prioritizing high quality content.