Maintaining Netflix playback while using other applications on an iPhone refers to the ability to continue audio output of the video content while the Netflix application is minimized or running in the background. An example would be listening to a documentary on Netflix while simultaneously checking email or browsing the web.
The significance of this functionality lies in its contribution to multitasking efficiency. It allows users to consume media content without being visually tethered to the Netflix application, thereby enabling engagement with other tasks. Historically, limitations in iOS operating system design restricted background audio playback for many applications, requiring specific workarounds or app configurations to achieve this.