Netflix adds playback speed control to Android app

Netflix has added playback speed controls to its player on Android. The lowest speed is 50% and the highest is 150%. The pitch is corrected so that voices do not become abnormally high or low.

The feature will be rolled out globally over the coming weeks. The control will soon also be in the form of a test to the iOS app and the web version of Netflix. There is no news yet about tests or an introduction on other platforms, such as Android TV or Tizen.

The feature went wrong with several Hollywood figures, who argued that distributors should not be allowed to control how content is presented. Netflix says it has taken this into account by not only limiting the speed range, but also by resetting the speed setting to the default value for each playback session.

In responses to the first tests with the function last year, it was repeatedly mentioned that the steps with which the speed can be adjusted would be too great. Users repeatedly requested a speed between 100 and 125 percent, or between 125 and 150 percent. Netflix has not responded to this so far, but it says it does pay close attention to feedback, according to The Verge, among others.