Netflix has started testing Collections, which is different from other recommendation features by the streaming service because humans are behind the selections, not algorithms.
The feature, which is currently being tested only on Netflix’s iOS app, was first spotted by Jeff Higgins, who tweeted some screenshots.
Netflix Collections is your new way of finding what you want to watch, fast. pic.twitter.com/kKfciBWCg4
— Jeff Higgins Likes Umbrella Beach Drinks (@ItsJeffHiggins) August 23, 2019
Netflix already offers suggestions based on each person’s viewing history. Collections, meanwhile, will be curated by experts on the streaming service’s creative teams and will be organized based on genre, tone, storyline, and character traits. Titles of lists under the feature include Oddballs & Outcasts, Dark & Devious TV Shows, and Artful Adventures.
“We’re always looking for new ways to connect our fans with titles we think they’ll love, so we’re testing out a new way to curate Netflix titles into collections on the Netflix iOS app,” a spokesperson for the company confirmed TechCrunch, adding that features being tested may or may not become permanent offerings.
Netflix subscribers who have been selected to participate in the testing for Collections will find the feature at the top of the iOS app, where the link to the My List section was previously located. Tapping on the link will bring up the various lists, the number of movies and/or TV shows in each list, and the number of followers beside a Follow button. It is unclear what following a list will do, but it is likely to keep followers updated if there are any new additions.
Tapping on one of the collections expands it into thumbnails that preview the list and a description of what it is all about, and tapping again will bring up all the contents. Collections will also appear in the main browsing menu of the app, for those who have been included in the iOS testing of the feature.
For Netflix subscribers who have not been included among the testers or who are not using iOS devices, Digital Trends is offering its own human-curated lists for movies and TV shows to watch on the streaming service. We have the best shows on Netflix right now, and the best Netflix Original series, among many other lists for recommendations.