Netflix is launching a new mobile feature that gives subscribers the opportunity to get their laughs going for the night without having to watch an entire TV show or movie.
Fast Laughs, currently only available to iOS device owners in certain countries, looks and feels like TikTok or Instagram Reels. Different short tracks – taken from programs like Big mouth or stand-up specials from comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Ali Wong – play directly in the Netflix app. If one of the shows, movies or shows is attracting interest, people can add the title to their saved list to watch later.
“We are always looking for new ways to entertain members and make it easier,” Patrick Flemming, director of product innovation at Netflix, added that Fast Laughs is a “new full screen with funny clips from a wide range of Netflix titles, ranging from movies and series to our deep bank of stand-up shows.”
It makes sense for Netflix to add Fast Laughs as the growth and prominence of TikTok is currently in the market. Netflix’s latest earnings reports specifically refer to TikTok as a major competitor. It’s not that Netflix and TikTok make the same type of content, but people are spending more time on TikTok – and therefore less time on Netflix. To give iPhone users something else to browse on their phones, and turn it into more time spent on the app by convincing people to go through Big mouth again, is a smart business move.
It also helps Netflix point out how much content is on the platform. Netflix has invested heavily in stand-up comedy, has made multiple appearances with comedians such as Adam Sandler and Kevin Hart, and is building its lead in animation. Since there is so much content, much of it can be lost on the platform. This is one way to give subscribers a little peek at things they missed. This is the main difference between TikTok and Netflix’s Fast Laughs: Netflix is not trying to launch a new platform to provide entertainment, but is using a new feature to keep people on their current platform.
To access Fast Laughs, customers can use the bottom navigation menu to click on the Fast Laughs tab. The company will soon start testing Fast Laughs on Android devices.