Why do companies hype redesigns so much ... I know it's for stupid people to be impressed with. But ultimately it just created a new learning curve for long time users of the application.
Well, the UX Design Team has to justify their existence somehow. And if there's one thing they're good at, it's wowing management with snazzy presentations.
Making a snazzy presentation about the necessary overhaul of the data structure of the ingest system architecture is also just generally harder then just showing a flashy, colorful click dummy of the new homepage.
Hard to justify you're job when all you do is manage a team that does non-visible minor tweaks and improvements that affects like 3% of the user base.
Maintenance isn't constant growth, gotta redesign.
If netflix are embracing new technology (maybe something that allows 1080p playback on any browser, instead of just chrome) and the changes required are significant enough, then a redesign incorporating the big lessons learned from the current design make sense.
Also it creates better morale in house letting people be creative, come up with new stuff, not having to only maintain the old shit that someone else made years ago and you think is less than optimal
But honestly it's been several years for me, since before covid, but at the time it only looked good by virtue of Amazon and Hulu being godawful. Now I just have my own jellyfin server set up with Linux isos, and jellyfish open source UI puts Netflix to shame when it comes to browsing Linux isos
I'll have to check it out. I currently use DLNA on my TV, and the interface is pretty awful. But it works. I've used Kodi on my Raspberry Pi, which is pretty decent, but I haven't tried Jellyfin.
Most rebrands occur because the average marketing person is pretty average and "rebrand" looks good on your CV.
A couple of million later, half way through, customers hate the new brand and the marketing people who started it have already left for greener pastures
Redesigning a perfectly good design that everyone is used to allows you to put "designed Netflix user interface" on your CV, and since management has to spend a ton of money on it, suddenly your team is worth something