Netflix has now added the Sony Xperia XZ Premium to its list of smartphones that are able to play content in HDR. Now, you might remember that the LG G6 was on this list of smartphones that supported HDR from Netflix, but it has been removed and is now on the list for Dolby Vision, which is a different form of HDR, and it definitely makes it confusing for users. The Sony Xperia XZ Premium supports regular HDR, which is good for those that own the Xperia XZ Premium, especially with that 4K Display.
HDR is a new standard that is becoming widely popular on displays, it started on TV’s and now it’s moving into monitors, tablets and smartphones. It makes the viewing experience of movies and TV shows a bit better, by enhancing the colors in the picture. Not every TV show or movie has HDR support, however a good number of Netflix’s own original content does. Similar to how most of Netflix’s 4K content is actually its own original content. So if you do have a device that is capable of running HDR, then you’ll definitely notice the difference when watching content on Netflix. Now of course, to experience this, you do need to upgrade to Netflix’s 4K package which runs at $11.99/month and allows you to watch on multiple screens – good for the families out there sharing Netflix.
Now it is also important to note that if you are looking to stream content from Netflix in 4K and/or HDR, then you will need to make sure you have fast internet. Netflix says that you’ll need at least a 25Mbps connection to stream 4K without any issues. So for the most of the people out there, this won’t be a problem. However, those that live in rural areas may need to stick with the HD or 1080p version of Netflix for now. Or they’ll have to deal with the constant buffering due to the slower internet connection. Netflix will be adding more Android devices to its HDR and Dolby Vision lists, but as for now, it’s limited to just the Xperia XZ Premium and the LG G6, respectively.