Netflix will no longer be available on dozens of older models of Sony TV and Blu-Ray players in February of next year due to “technical limitations,” Sony said on its website.
Sony TVs from 2011 to 2013, including the EX, HX, W series, and Sony Blu-Ray players, will no longer support the Netflix app. It will continue to work until the end of February 2024, when Netflix will be removed from a lengthy list of devices.
Netflix has pulled its app from outdated and aging devices in recent years. In October, the streaming app was removed from older Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, and Hitachi TV models, as well as the PlayStation Vita. After the app began requiring iOS devices to run version 12.0 or later and Android devices to run 8.0 or newer in 2019, Netflix vanished from older Roku devices, VIZIO TVs, Samsung, Sony TVs and Home Theater, AV, and Blu-Ray player models that came out in 2012 or earlier.
Netflix and Sony were not immediately available for comment.
Sony TVs come pre-installed with several apps, such as YouTube and the Sony Entertainment Network. Older TV models can no longer support newer apps as system requirements change and aren’t equipped to handle the additional processing power. Sony said, “It’s like trying to install a new app on first-generation smartphones. It requires too much of the device.”
The complete list of affected Sony TVs and Blu-Ray systems can be found here. Visit Netflix to see all compatible devices.
For households with an older Sony TV, a few workarounds will help you continue streaming Netflix. You can use Chromecast or a Fire TV stick if your TV has an HDMI port. Or you can connect a laptop via an HDMI cable. Another way is to hook your PS4 or PS5 gaming console to the television and use that to access Netflix.