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Why There's Still No Netflix App For Android

Posted by timothy on from the wouldn't-exactly-say-I-was-missing-it dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Why is there a Netflix app for iOS devices and Windows Phone 7, yet no Netflix support for Android? Well, Netflix has been working on an Android app but has run into a few technical hurdles because Android lacks a universal DRM solution which means that the company has to work with different handset manufacturers separately in order to ensure that the installed DRM protocol meets the requirements laid out by the movie studios."

6 of 291 comments (clear)

  1. PlayReady DRM by Mulder3 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Netflix uses MS PlayReady DRM... Microsoft provides an implementation of a PlayReady client in ANSI C... Android has a NDK to write native apps.... So, what's the problem here?

    1. Re:PlayReady DRM by MichaelKristopeit163 · · Score: 3, Informative
      MS PlayReady DRM requires standardized hardware and platform layer support that android doesn't provide.

      the movie studios see a big difference between DRM that can be beat by jumping some leads with a soldering iron and DRM that can beat with a software update.

      it seems netflix are not willing to release an "android app" until EVERY "android" phone can use the app. having to explain to users that they don't have the "right" android would make both netflix and the android alliance look bad. to me, forcing a hardware encryption chip for media signals that can easily be routed around is pointless... but this is what the studios are demanding... they make the movies, they can sell them to whoever they want.

  2. Re:Ubuntu instead! by CAIMLAS · · Score: 3, Informative

    Um, no? Believe it or not, there are quite a few households where there are neither game platforms nor trendy Apple gadgets (Adults typically live here.)

    --
    ~/ssh slashdot.org ssh: connect to host slashdot.org port 22: too many beers
  3. Re:Netflix does run on *some* Android devices by happymellon · · Score: 3, Informative

    Ok, I hadn't really looked in to this before. It seems like the Netflix app is an x86 compiled apk so it will not run on ARM. But if they ever get that compatibility layer for Ubuntu running, it would give you Netflix on Linux ;)

    XDA already ripped the app from the Google TV. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=812601&page=6

  4. Re:Ubuntu instead! by MBGMorden · · Score: 3, Informative

    You speak like those devices are a given. It's a royal pain in the butt to get most Apple devices to sync with Ubuntu - so much so that anyone who uses Ubuntu probably is going to look for alternative options - like an Android phone for example.

    That right there knocks the last 4 items off of your list. Now consider the possibility that he's not a gamer (I know - shock, horror), and then a PS3 or Wii becomes equally unlikely.

    People aren't guaranteed to have all the hip devices.

    --
    "People who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."-Mark Twain
  5. Re:Too Easy by demonlapin · · Score: 3, Informative

    Don't confuse Hollywood accounting for a "loss" with actually losing money.