Netflix has made it’s name knowing what’s good for us: whether it’s foreign romantic comedies with a twist or that third season of “Friday Night Lights,” they’re good at recommendations. Now, they’ve announced that they’ll be putting a seal of approval on new televisions that they deem stream-worthy.
The seal of approval was announced at CES on Monday and the program will start with some Sony, Vizio, and LG sets on display at the show, as well as Roku TVs. According to Gigaom:
TVs that feature the new “Netflix-recommended TV” logo will feature easier navigation, a snappier performance of the Netflix app and other features that are supposed to make streaming just as easy as watching regular TV.
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The program will roll out in the U.S. but should expand into other markets. It’s a good way to make smartTVs better, if a bit gimmicky at first. Consumers are buying televisions to stream from apps like Netflix’s, so it’s a good way to push manufacturers to do better. Don’t have the seal? Means something’s up with your screen resolution. There are a few other criteria for Netflix Recommended — easy menu navigation and instant-on, so when you turn your tube on you can resume whatever you were doing, just like on your phone or tablet. According to a statement from Netflix:
Netflix Recommended TV program to help consumers identify smart TVs that offer better performance, easier menu navigation and new features that improve the experience for Internet TV services, said Neil Hunt, chief product officer at Netflix. When you see a TV with the Netflix Recommended TV logo, it means that TV will provide an excellent Netflix experience, based on criteria our members tell us matter most. Over the last seven years, Netflix engineers have worked with makers of Internet-ready televisions, game consoles, set-top boxes and mobile devices to test their products and ensure consumers get a great Netflix experience right out of the box. With the Netflix Recommended TV logo, TV manufacturers will be able to highlight products that offer both the best Netflix experience and superior smart TV performance.
The recommended televisions will be available at various price points.