December 9, 2019

OnePlus TV now supports Netflix, existing users can get the new remote

By Tech Online Things

When OnePlus TV was announced, they made it clear that the software was a big part of the experience. However, Netflix wasn’t natively available back then on the smart TV. That is finally changing with a new software update.

The OnePlus smart TV Q1 and Q1 Pro were made their global debut in India, alongside the OnePlus 7T. Back then, the company promised that Netflix would be a part of the included app ecosystem at a future date. Starting today, all OnePlus TVs sold will have Netflix pre-installed, whereas existing users will receive a software update that will add the entire content catalog of the OTT platform.

The OnePlus TV remote originally had a rather minimal design with only a few buttons, one of them being Prime Video by Amazon. Video streaming platforms usually have a mandate for a dedicated button to launch their app if a smart TV wants to have their content natively supported. It raised a few questions during the launch about how OnePlus will add support for Netflix as the remote had no extra buttons.

The solution came in the form of a new remote, which changes a few things and adds a new Netflix button that can launch the app even if the TV is sleeping. The new remote has a matte black finish and brings the volume rocker to the facia rather than the side. The keys to summon Google Assistant and Prime Video are still present. Going forward, all OnePlus TVs will ship with this new remote.

Existing users can get the new remote for free from the OnePlus Store after their serial number is verified to be from one of the earlier shipment batches. The exact process is detailed on their website if you wish to get your hands on the OnePlus TV Netflix remote.

The OnePlus TV Q1 and Q1 Pro run on a customized Android TV OS with better connectivity with smartphones. It sports a 55-inch QLED panel with a 4K resolution and starts at Rs 69,900 in India.