Netflix Recommends Razer Phone: Announces HDR App

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LAS VEGAS, NV — Part of the news from Razer today, jointly with Netflix, is that a new partnership is in place. The Razer Phone, launched a few weeks ago as a device for gamers with a 120 Hz IGZO display and focused on content consumption with loud front facing speakers, is now the recommended premium device that Netflix suggests to watch Netflix content on. Adding to this, the Razer Phone will in the near future get a Netflix app update to enable HDR content to be played.  


So obviously a ‘recommended device’ does two things: firstly, not a lot – no-one who takes care of their own financial planning is going to specifically go out and buy a Razer Phone purely on Netflix recommendations. Second, it might come as a kick in the teeth to all the Netflix partners, such as TV manufacturers, when Netflix starts recommending a 5.72-inch display with built-in speakers. Now that Razer owns THX, and the Razer Phone is THX Certified, adding the Netflix recommendation will be another sticker on the box – both companies will benefit from the opportunity to market the two as partners. Razer is likely to also cite its large battery, to enable watching content for longer.



For the HDR application news, at the launch, Razer advertised the Razer Phone as having a wide color gamut, enabled by the IGZO display, although failed to qualify exactly the gamut coverage is. According to media tests, the display has an average brightness of around 310 nits (lower than most high-end smartphones), which would suggest aiming for the HDR300 standard, although it is still an 8-bit display. How different the HDR content will look on the display will be, compared to SDR, will be something to examine. Razer is likely to cite the integrated Qualcomm 835 media blocks that help process up to 10-bit 4K HDR content at low power, enabling better battery life in HDR mode. During our briefing, we were told that the HDR application will be a Razer Phone exclusive, although we have since learned that ‘exclusive’ in this context means that Razer is the first Android smartphone to be suitable for the feature.


All being said, the strategy playing out does make sense. Razer is playing to the phone strengths (the speakers), much in the same way that other smartphone brands are partnering with well-known companies on their strengths (Huawei with Leica). I have been using the Razer Phone on and off since the launch, and the plus points are nice big pluses that no-one else has done to that level (120 Hz, speakers), but there are some elements still keeping me from adopting it as my daily driver (mainly camera) that long-term smartphone manufacturers have had many generations to work on.


More information as it comes in.


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Source: AnandTech – Netflix Recommends Razer Phone: Announces HDR App