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Netflix ‘stories’ are here with 30-second video previews in mobile apps

Netflix ‘stories’ are here with 30-second video previews in mobile apps

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Videos play vertically, so you don’t have to flip your phone

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Photo: Netflix

Netflix is releasing a new feature today called mobile previews, which is essentially a version of stories on apps like Instagram and Snapchat that shows you previews of shows and movies on the subscription service.

The 30-second mobile videos are trailers, and they play vertically, so you don’t have to flip your phone to watch them.

The previews are located at the top of the screen when you launch the app, and they appear as circles you tap on to start the preview. Netflix describes these clips as “slideshows,” and you can add them to your list or watch them immediately.

To skip, just swipe or tap the screen to go to the next preview. (Again, it’s the same interaction you’d use to control similar features on Instagram.) Even the layout of Netflix’s TV previews is familiar, with a progress bar displayed at the top and additional blocks to show that there are more videos within the set.

The feature appears to be live in the US, but it wasn’t yet available for The Verge staffers in Europe. Netflix introduced video previews to its TV interface last year and says the mobile previews are customized according to the user’s taste. Mobile previews are rolling out to iOS apps today with support for Android “coming soon.”