Netflix lets you change the algorithm with the new shuffle option

Netflix lets you change the algorithm with the new shuffle option

Netflix decides to shake things up, with a shuffle feature that will direct users to randomly selected movies or TV shows, much like shuffling your music library on Spotify or Apple Music. While the feature, known as Shuffle Play, has already been tested in Australia, it's now being rolled out to more users, including the United States. Given the extensive implementation, we expect it to eventually become a standard feature for all subscribers as well. It is currently only available on the Netflix Smart TV app and appears in the left menu panel under the "home" and "search" options. A shuffle button has also appeared for some below their profile icons, allowing users to jump directly to a randomly selected title, along the same lines as the "I'm lucky" button in the search engine. Google Search, which takes you directly to a website instead of forcing you to scroll through the rankings. It sounds like this feature isn't completely random and won't just suggest you look at something completely out of your wheelhouse. (If you're only using Netflix to watch action movies like Extraction or Project Power, you shouldn't be directed to Howl's Moving Castle.) However, it does offer a way for users to change their regular lists, which can only be good for keeping people engaged with the service. I can't count the number of times I switched to another platform because I got bored of scrolling through my "list" over and over again.

A / B test

Netflix is ​​well known for testing features on a small number of users or on a specific operating system to gauge its popularity. We saw it with its list of the site's top 10 most popular shows to stream, which has now become a main feature, and the controversial launch of playback speed controls. This latest feature rolled out to Android users in early August, though it's also expected to come to iOS and the web in the near future. The best Netflix deals of the day Via TechCrunch