News

Netflix Introduces “Play Something” Shuffle Feature

The new “Play Something” feature plays content based on your watch history, whether it’s something new, not yet finished, or just hanging around in your queue.

Published

3 years ago

May 3, 2021

Joanna Melki

Netflix

Do you sometimes turn on Netflix, only to find yourself unable to decide what you want to watch? You’re not the only one! Fortunately for you and all other indecisive viewers, the “Play Something” feature has just been officially announced by Cameron Johnson, Director of Product Innovation at Netflix.

“When you hit the ‘Play Something’ button, you’ll be instantly met with a series or film we know you’ll love based on what you’ve watched before,” writes Johnson in the official announcement.

If Netflix doesn’t get it right on the first try, you can simply click “Play Something Else” and get:

Different series or film.
Series or film you’re already watching.
Series or film on your list.
Unfinished series or film.

For now, the new feature is available only for smart TV, but testing for mobile devices is planned to start soon.

How To Use The “Play Something” Feature

Launch the Netflix app on your smart TV.
Select the “Press Something” button located:
- Underneath your profile name.
- In the tenth row on your Netflix homepage.
- In the navigation menu on the left of the screen.
Press the “Play Something Else” button if you want another suggestion.

Netflix users who rely on screen readers will be pleased to know that the new feature fully supports Text-to-Speech (TTS).

Also Read: Netflix Is Testing A Way To Stop Its Users From Sharing Their Passwords

With the “Play Something” feature, Netflix becomes one step closer to the traditional cable experience, whose inherent element of surprise is both one of its biggest downsides and benefits.

Now that users can tell Netflix to pick something to watch for them, they are far more likely to discover hidden gems they might otherwise miss or become hooked on the company’s exclusive content. The latter is especially important for the streaming giant because exclusive content is what keeps subscribers subscribed.

News

Paymob Extends Series B Funding To $72M Amid Continued Growth

The financial services provider has secured an extra $22 million after strong performance in its core market of Egypt.

Published

23 hours ago

September 12, 2024

Nour Nasir

paymob extends series b funding to $72 million amid continued growth

Leading financial services provider Paymob has secured an additional $22 million in a funding extension, bringing its Series B total to $72 million.

The funding was spearheaded by EBRD Venture Capital, with support from Endeavor Catalyst. Existing backers such as PayPal Ventures, BII, FMO, A15, Nclude, and Helios Digital Ventures also participated, reaffirming their confidence in Paymob’s business model and potential in the regional fintech industry.

This extension comes on the back of Paymob’s strong performance in its core market of Egypt, where it has experienced 6x revenue growth since the initial Series B in Q2 2022. With the Series B extension and continued profitability in Egypt, Paymob is well-positioned to further its expansion strategy across the MENA region.

Islam Shawky, Co-founder and CEO of Paymob, commented: “We are very excited by our strong prospects in Egypt – where we hold a market-leading position – and the significant traction experienced in the UAE since launching operations there. This funding will help Paymob fully capitalize on the momentum in our established markets, as we accelerate our GCC roll-out. We remain committed to creating cutting-edge infrastructure enabling SMEs across the region to thrive in the digital economy and are proud of our continued impact”.

Also Read: Zoho Expands Qatar Operations & Releases New Survey Data

The expansion into GCC markets has been driven by Paymob’s initial Series B funding of $50 million, raised in 2022 and led by Kora Capital, PayPal Ventures, and Clay Point. The investment fueled Paymob’s growth, allowing it to launch its mobile app in 2023 and grow its merchant base by 3.5 times, now serving nearly 350,000 merchants across MENA.

Paymob has also expanded its payment acceptance suite to offer 50 payment methods through its gateway, POS terminals, and the Paymob app, providing the region’s most comprehensive fintech solution. The company recently introduced embedded checkout services for Shopify and WooCommerce, further demonstrating its commitment to empowering small and medium businesses across the region.