The list of devices capable of Netflix HDR streaming remains tiny, but it continues to grow, if a little slowly. Thankfully, there are now two new devices in the mix: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and Sony Xperia XZ1.
Both phones have yet to be released, of course, but those planning to own either one of two will be pleased to know that they'll be able to stream their favorite films and series in glorious HDR quality.
The other two devices that support Netflix streaming in HDR include the LG V30 and the Xperia XZ Premium. It remains unclear how Netflix decides which phones get HDR playback support, but the determining factor isn't the display, that's for sure, since the aforementioned phones are a mix of OLEDs and LCDs.
Perhaps the feature requires phones to have at least a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, 4 GB of RAM or more. It's also worth noting that these phones are all "HDR10 compliant," so that might be it.
Netflix notes compatible devices must have the latest firmware to enable HDR playback.
Will Netflix Bring HDR Streaming To Other Phones Going Forward?
As for Samsung, the company started supporting HDR playback on its high-end smartphones and TVs last year. As SamMobile notes, the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 was the first Samsung phone to support HDR, in fact.
The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus also have HDR-capable displays. Netflix previously failed to support viewing HDR content on Samsung devices, but that seems to be changing now. It still remains to be seen whether Netflix plans to extend the feature to Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus owners.
Netflix HDR Streaming Requirements
It's not enough to have a mobile device that supports Netflix HDR streaming alone — one has to keep in mind other requirements, too. First, HDR requires the highest tier in Netflix's subscription plans, which costs $12. Second, the user's internet connection speed must be at least 25 Mbps, or else HDR viewing won't be as smooth. Not having these means one isn't eligible for Netflix HDR streaming, so keep that in mind before buying the phones mentioned above.
In May, the LG G6 became the first phone to support Netflix in Dolby Vision quality, which is a type of HDR format. It remains the only phone in the list that supports such a format. Netflix offers tons of titles in 4K and some of them are available in HDR. But be aware of the requirements first before going all-in on Netflix's highest subscription tier.
