Vurt Brings Its Vertical Microdramas to Apple TV and Android TV
Vurt has launched dedicated apps for Apple TV and Android TV, bringing its catalog of vertical microdramas to the living room. The TV apps offer 3,500 episodes across more than 100 shows, according to details shared in an interview with Vurt cofounder and angel investor Hilmon Sorey published on Oct. 11, 2026. The Verge
The launch follows fast growth on mobile. Vurt has grown from 10,000 to 675,000 users since launching in March. Sorey said the TV apps came from direct user feedback, with viewers asking to watch vertical shows on bigger screens.
Vurt uses a free-to-finish model. All shows are free to watch, with costs covered through ad partnerships. On the production side, Vurt signs licensing deals with studios and creators that split revenue 50/50.
Independent creators can submit projects directly to Vurt, and approved shows can go live in a few days. That is much faster than traditional TV commissioning, and closer to how long an app-store review takes. The company was described at launch as a mobile-first vertical streaming platform built for independent filmmakers to upload micro series or features. TechCrunch The TV apps do not replace that upload path. They add a second place to watch the same catalog.
Vurt is also developing new vertical programming, including original series and livestreamed sporting events. No titles or dates were disclosed. Disney Plus and HBO Max are also experimenting with vertical content. Disney+ plans to add vertical videos later in 2026 to increase daily engagement, a plan Disney announced at its annual Tech + Date Showcase event. Deadline
The broader context here is a shift in viewing habits. Mobile short-form trained viewers to accept 60-to-90-second episodes, portrait framing, and fast cliffhangers. Traditional TV asked for the opposite, long episodes in landscape. Vurt is testing whether those short story structures still work on a 55-inch screen.
Looking at what this means for infrastructure and rights, the system is deliberately simple. With no paywall, Vurt avoids subscription logins, permission checks for who can watch, and churn management. Combined with direct submission and a 50/50 split, it can add new shows in days. In my view, that speed matters more than anything else, because it lets Vurt test genres and pacing using real viewing data far faster than slower TV pipelines.
Worth flagging for builders is the TV display problem. Portrait video on a wide TV needs side bars, background fill, or on-screen overlays. The technical fix is straightforward. The harder issue is attention. TV viewing favors steady, continuous watching, while microdramas depend on quick episode changes. To make that work, Vurt will need autoplay, watch-state sync between phone and TV, and ad breaks that do not interrupt momentum across thousands of short episodes.
In my view, the hopeful case is clear. Lower production costs, direct uploads, and free viewing open up who can make serial shows and who can finish watching them. Interest from large streamers supports the experiment without deciding it. The format still has to show it can hold viewers on the largest screen in the house.
