Netflix adds new picture feature that can make shows and movies look much better

Netflix has finally added a feature many viewers have requested for years – especially those with Samsung TVs.

The streaming service has introduced HDR10+ to its picture formats, which is a significant step up from the standard HDR many have had to put up with over a considerable period.

Of course, this might not mean much to those with TVs that support Dolby Vision – that's been part of the Netflix makeup for a long while. However, Samsung sets have never supported Dolby's extended HDR format, opting for the similar technology of HDR10+ instead, which was co-created by the Korean brand itself.

Like Dolby Vision, HDR10+ works like HDR10 in that it widens the available colour gamut and increases aspects like contrast and accuracy, but it does so dynamically. It is capable of adjusting the image on a scene-by-scene basis, even frame-by-frame in some instance.

Conventional HDR10 has a set metadata for the entirety of the show or film. There's no competition when you compare the two.

Why it's taken so long for Netflix to add HDR10+ support is a mystery – the format has been around for eight years, having been first announced in the spring of 2017. In addition, Samsung makes some of the best TVs you can buy, which are often among the best-selling models globally.

Perhaps it's because Amazon co-launched the standard with Samsung originally, and has been one of its biggest supporters ever since. Still, better late than never, eh?

To get HDR10+ streaming you will need a Netflix Premium account, which currently costs £18.99 per month in the UK, $24.99 in the States, and A$25.99 in Australia.

For that, you also get access to 4K Ultra HD content with no ads, and can watch on up to four devices simultaneously. You can download shows and movies on up to six devices to watch offline.

There's also Netflix Spatial Audio support and Dolby Atmos.