Netflix rolls out 30-second vertical video trailers

Netflix this morning announced that its mobile app is now hosting 30-second video trailers.

Called mobile previews and first mentioned last month, these are your typical video trailers, optimized for the mobile format so they load fast over cellular connections.

Similar to the Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram Stories, Netflix’s video previews are specially cropped for the vertical format so you can watch them without turning your phone.

“The previews are shown like a slideshow so if you see something you like, you can tap play or add to your list,” the company wrote in a blog post. “If not, you can swipe or tap the screen to advance to the next preview.”

You would think that a video-streaming service like Netflix would have hosted movie trailers right from the onset, but that’s not the case—video previews have only been available in their apps for desktop platforms and set-top boxes since last year.

Being able to watch a short trailer for a movie or TV show should help Netflix fans browse less and discover new content more quickly, especially now that you can enjoy video trailers in Netflix for iPhone and iPad in a fun, mobile-optimized way.

Mobile previews are launching today on iOS and coming soon to Android.

Netflix is a free download from App Store.