Netflix’s ad-supported plan doesn’t work on Apple TV, “older” Chromecasts, PS3
Enlarge / Most smart TVs should work with Netflix's new ad-supported plan. Somehow, it's far more powerful, newer devices that may have issues. And the PS3. (credit: Getty Images | Christopher Ames)
Netflix's newest offering, a $7-per-month "Basic with Ads" plan, comes with inherent compromises: five minutes of ads per hour, one device at a time, no downloads, 720p resolution, and some unavailable content. But there are also several device compatibility issues, including new devices.
On Netflix's help center page for people encountering the error "Basic with Ads is not supported," Netflix notes that "Basic with Ads isn't supported on Apple TV." "You'll need to upgrade your Netflix plan to the Basic, Standard, or Premium plan," Netflix advises, or else "use a different device." That last bit links to Netflix's list of officially supported devices, which unhelpfully shows an Apple TV logo with no footnotes or other details about its limitations. Netflix told 9to5 Mac in a statement that Apple TV support is "coming soon."
The same is true for any Chromecast except the newest model, Chromecast with Google TV. "Basic with Ads is supported only on Chromecast with Google TV," Netflix states, meaning that any model bought before September 2022-like the 4K version Google sold until then- is out of luck.