Earlier this week, Netflix began querying its users about their interest in a Netflix app for the iPhone that would enable users to stream movies and television shows straight to their device, solely over wi-fi of course.
The survey reads:
Imagine that Netflix offers its subscribers the ability to instantly watch movies & TV episodes on their iPhone. The selection availability to instantly watch includes some new releases, lots of classics and TV episodes. There are no advertisements or trailers, and movies start in as little as 30 seconds. You can fast-forward, rewind, and pause or watch again. The movies & TV episodes you instantly watch are included in your Netflix membership for no additional fee.
Whenever you want to instantly watch content on your iPhone, your iPhone must be connected to a Wi-Fi network (such as one you might have at home or at work, or in public places like coffee shops, book stores, hotels, airports, etc.)
If this functionality were available, how likely would you or someone in your household be to instantly watch movies & TV episodes on your iPhone via a Wi-Fi network?
Yeah, Netflix isn’t really leaving much to the imagination here. Still, while Netflix on the iPhone may seen inevitable, don’t expect to see it on iTunes anytime soon. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has made it clear that an iPhone app isn’t on Netflix’s list of short term priorities. Also, one has to wonder how Apple will take to a Netflix app for the iPhone given that it would compete directly with iTunes.
via Hacking Netflix
March 5th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
It will be interesting to see how they make this work. Currently Netflix uses Silverlight to deliver the content to the desktop. I doubt that they will be successful using that technology on the iPhone.