We have been anticipating Netflix for Android for a long time. Back in November, Netflix promised us that a Netflix app would be coming soon. One of the biggest problems with Android for corporations like Netflix was the lack of DRM, or digital rights management. These are the features that make it difficult to steal from borrowed content, like streamed videos from Netflix. They said,
Although we don’t have a common platform security mechanism and DRM, we are able to work with individual handset manufacturers to add content protection to their devices. Unfortunately, this is a much slower approach and leads to a fragmented experience on Android, in which some handsets will have access to Netflix and others won’t…But I’m happy to announce we’ll launch select Android devices that will instantly stream from Netflix early next year.
However, it appears that Qualcomm has been in talks with Netflix about securing their Snapdragon platform. At CES, AndroidAndMe’s Taylor Wimberly asked at the Qualcomm booth regarding when it was likely to see a Netflix app on Android. The response he received was,
We have been working with Netflix to bring their service for the first time to Android phones. Because of our ability to have very sophisticated SecureMSM and all kinds of layers of security we have been able to get Netflix approval. We meet all of the very stringent security requirements of the studios and we have been working with an OEM to have Netflix come pre-loaded.
So it looks like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon will be getting it first. Also at CES, we got a sneak peek at the LG Revolution, which came with the Netflix app preloaded. The LG Revolution runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. We have no idea yet whether the app will be available on the Android Market, or whether it will only be available at first pre-loaded. There may be minimum system requirements like being able to download using 4G. Don’t worry, we will crank out the rumor mill as new ones come in!
Source:AndroidAndMe