Netflix Now Supports All Froyo, Gingerbread Phones
Netflix just updated its Android app to support all smartphones with Android 2.2 "Froyo" and 2.3 "Gingerbread" installed. Happy weekend!
Although the web-based version of Google's Android Market still shows the Netflix app as v1.3 as of this writing, the phone-based Android Market app reveals an updated Netflix v1.4. This new version now supports all Android 2.2 "Froyo" and 2.3 "Gingerbread" smartphones. Unfortunately, the app is still ridiculously too big, residing in the main memory for 19.91 MB after a portion is shoved over to the SD card.
The Netflix app for Android has come a long way since its debut back in May. Due to hardware DRM requirements, only the Samsung Nexus S and five additional HTC phones running Froyo were able to support the video streaming service.
"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," the company said back in November 2010 before the first apps were released. "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 by v1.3 which was released two months later, the list had expanded to 21 additional devices like the original Motorola DROID, the Lenovo IdeaPad tablet, the Samsung Epic 4G and a handful more. Now it seems that the Netflix Android team has overcome the fragmentation and DRM issues, and has presented an app that all v2.2 and v2.3 consumers can use.
To stream Netflix to a Froyo or Gingerbread phone, users will need a subscription to the $7.99/month subscription streaming plan at the very least.
- Google Releases HTML5 App for Music Beta on iOS
- Sprint Selling iPhone 5 with Unlimited Data in October
- Remastered Crysis Heading to Xbox 360 and PS3
- Anonymous Releases Twitter Hijack Tool
- HTC Sues Apple with Patents it Received from Google
- Google Says Gmail is Eco-Friendly, Greens Your IT
- Apple Sues Samsung in Japan, Seeks $1.3M in Damages
- Ebook Inventor Michael Stern Hart Dies
- Is This the iPhone 5's First Photo?
- BMW May Replace LED Headlights With Lasers
- Sony Ericsson: Dual Core Doesn't Mean Faster
- Nike's Back to the Future Shoes Aren't Self-Fastening
- Jamming Tech Bocks Hackers from Pacemakers
- Augmented Reality Mirror Helps You Stay Fashionable
- Skydrops Concept Collects Water From the Sky
- Google Acquires Review and Ratings Company Zagat
- 3DS Sales Jump 260 Percent Following Price Drop
- Conan O'Brien Pokes Fun at Another Lost iPhone
- The Next-Generation's iPhone 5, 4S Parts Exposed
fyi, yesterday's release also works with my galaxy tab 10.1 running honeycomb.
This is the problem with DRM. It is too much trouble to get it to work, and then the latest hardware comes out, ppl buy it, and discover stuff doesnt work anymore.
I just ran netflix on my Samsung Intercept 2.2 froyo and audio and video were never in sync and the audio was moving faster than the video so netflix app will only run on smartphones that have at least 1 ghz anything less and it wont work
Today NetFlix Queue Manager is crashing on load with "error #2032" and some rather lame-sounding excuses about "this applications API key has been run dry for the day". I smell Fail. I'm liking NetQFree more than ever today for managing my queue at least, and getting notification of stream media that is set to expire. Welcome to the DRMisphere.
Great! Now not only does Netflix charge more - they are getting you to use up all your monthly bandwidth withing a day or two. Sooooo glad I cancelled my subscription.
Oh yeah - for those who will argue that you have unlimited data plans - enjoy them while you can.
Meh netflix I get my movies via torrent including the blu ray copies for my veiwing pleasure. So meh...
Android is not fully supported as this build does not display closed captions even if available on the Netflix stream
I had to hack version 1.3 to run it on my Droid 2 Global. I am rooted running cyanogenmod 7 [cm4d2g]… Do NOT upgrade to 1.4, it breaks the hack. Version 1.3 will give you an update nag, but it still works fine!
Hack for rooted phones: add # to build prop device check
Installed fine on Samsung Galaxy Prevail, but when playing a video the sound and video don't sync, I'm sure it will be remedied in future releases
MT4G - installed fine, but wouldnt run. Opened and then froze. So not all androids can run it.
Meh netflix I get my movies via torrent including the blu ray copies for my veiwing pleasure. So meh...
Too bad you're not smart enough to figure out how to get Netflix streaming for free. Hopefully you'll get sued soon.
It even runs on an Archos 43 (although not very well), so it can probably run on anything at this point.
They didn't just all of a sudden "fix" the DRM issues though. The companies making the original phones likely bribed them to be first, but at this point with their customers fleeing by the masses, Netflix has to use the one advantage they have left over competition, practically everything that's electronic supporting Netflix.
And I went through the effort of putting Netflix on my Atrix a while ago... Had to unlock the bootloader, update to 2.3, and install a APK from a questionable link.
But hey, I guess this works too.
been waiting for this for years, but I just cancelled my netflix yesterday.
been waiting for this for years, but I just cancelled my netflix yesterday.
They were just waiting for you to cancel so they could release this
Never had an issue when Netflix first released on Android. G2 T-mobile, Froyo and recently upgraded to Gingerbread and not a stutter in netflix. Of course I only use it in WiFi areas. Not going to hit Governing point watching movies.
They did this to get more subscribers back after raising the price. Blockbusters is getting stars and streaming but they don't support as many devices as netflix does.
I don't use either at the moment,so it ain't gonna worry me at all! Also I don't like to stream onto small LCD screens,it's bad for my eyes anyway.
Wish I Was Wealthy is right,but I may try it for a while & see how it goes.
I wonder when Toms Hardware is gonna bill those free add posts like "haisaix" post. If they do they'll end up making more money than you think. Anyway those free advertisement posts are just a nuisance & clogs up these article forums,don't they.
You're so right wish i was wealthy,just so right!
Yeah! You betya,I know I'm right!
what's the point of all this?!? Data plans are going to cause you to sell a kidney when you pass your 2GB allotment!!! Hope you guys have Sprint!!!
This is the problem with fragmentation. It is too much trouble to get it to work, and then the latest hardware comes out, ppl buy it, and discover stuff doesnt work anymore.
I agree ;P I also wish I had as many usernames as at least one person in these comments obviously does... o.O
Yay!