Report: Netflix streaming video headed to iPhone, Wii

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited October 2015
Citing an unnamed source described as "an industry executive familiar with Netflix?s plans," an industry trade journal is claiming that Netflix will soon offer its Watch Instantly streaming video service on the iPhone, iPod touch and the Nintendo Wii.



The brief report by Multichannel News describes the move as the next step for Netflix' content, which currently streams to Windows PCs, Macs, the Xbox 360, TiVo DVRs, the Roku, and certain TV and Blu-Ray players built to support video downloads.



Netflix Watch Instantly vs iTunes



Unlike Netflix' DVDs-by-mail service, its Watch Instantly library offers much less variety, with limited popular content such as recent movies and TV series. Its older titles and oddball independent films are available for immediate viewing however. The Watch Instantly service is also included for viewing at no extra cost over the base Netflix subscription, in contrast to iTunes' pay per view pricing.



Unlike media purchased or rented from iTunes, Netflix' streaming content plays back directly with no download. That requires no local storage on the playback device, but results in playback quality that is dependent upon the available network bandwidth. With iTunes and the Apple TV, content is progressively downloaded, enabling users to obtain HD content even with a slower connection, albeit with a longer wait.



Having a movie downloaded locally before or during playback makes reviewing or fast forwarding scenes quick and fluid. Netflix' streaming video has to stop to buffer the stream if it is paused or the playback point is changed, and simply can't do anything if a network outage occurs. In contrast, an Apple TV can be loaded with content and unplugged for remote playback, just like an iPod.



The advantage of Netflix' instantly streaming video is that little or no storage is required. If the iPhone and Wii are powerful enough to decode the live stream, customers may appreciate having a number of titles to watch on demand without consuming any available storage space, or in the case of the Wii, without needing to add some type of offline storage.



Hardware acceleration and mobile network access



Netflix uses Microsoft's DRM to protect playback of its streaming video, which requires Windows Media Player or Microsoft's Silverlight web plugin, which is akin to Adobe Flash. Dedicated devices like the Roku box use hardware decompression to deliver low cost playback.



Whether the iPhone or Wii could decode quality video only using software may be an issue, as Netflix playback even on the more powerful Apple TV has been cited by some as not practical due to its lack of any Windows Media codec hardware acceleration.



Video playback over AT&T's mobile network would likely also be prohibited by any Netflix streaming player app, making any iPhone version WiFi only, in line with other video streaming apps such as SlingPlayer Mobile.



Potential for HTTP Live Streaming



As a workaround to the iPhone's intentionally missing support for Windows DRM, Netflix could also take a page from Google and leverage the native support in iPhone 3.0 for HTTP Live Streaming, which plays streaming video to the iPhone and iPod Touch using standard MPEG AAC/H.264 codecs over familiar web-based protocols.



At the launch of the iPhone, Google shifted its Flash-based YouTube service to also support H.264 at Apple's behest, allowing the iPhone to skirt the primary need for Flash playback while also delivering high performance, hardware accelerated video playback using open protocols.



Support for HTTP Live Streaming will also be built into QuickTime X playback for Snow Leopard, and appears to be slated for adoption in the next revision of Apple TV. Third parties will also be able to implement HTTP Live Streaming on their own devices.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 89
    jerseymacjerseymac Posts: 408member
    How long before AT&T pulls the plug on this one?
  • Reply 2 of 89
    cu10cu10 Posts: 294member
    Resistance is futile.
  • Reply 3 of 89
    dluxdlux Posts: 666member
    I'm certainly all for getting rid of Microsoft's version of DRM and the necessity for Silverlight on a Mac, but what would Netflix use instead? They can't simply stream everything out unprotected, as people would simply make copies of everything.



    Unless they become the first licensee of Fairplay (that I know of), what other options does Netflix have?
  • Reply 4 of 89
    steviet02steviet02 Posts: 594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jerseymac View Post


    How long before AT&T pulls the plug on this one?



    Did you read the article?
  • Reply 5 of 89
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Netflix doesn't need DRM to stream to the iPhone. There is no way to record or divert the stream





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dlux View Post


    I'm certainly all for getting rid of Microsoft's version of DRM and the necessity for Silverlight on a Mac, but what would Netflix use instead? They can't simply stream everything out unprotected, as people would simply make copies of everything.



    Unless they become the first licensee of Fairplay (that I know of), what other options does Netflix have?



  • Reply 6 of 89
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TenoBell View Post


    Netflix doesn't need DRM to stream to the iPhone. There is no way to record or divert the stream



    that's what I was thinking....



    Just trained back home - watching an iNetflix movie would have been nice...
  • Reply 7 of 89
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by johnmcboston View Post


    that's what I was thinking....



    Just trained back home - watching an iNetflix movie would have been nice...



    Given Apple & AT&T's reluctance to allow Slingbox (Streaming Video) I don't see this ever happening.



    Apple wants you to use iTunes and nothing else for revenue reasons (even as lousy as there HD is). You are in a closed Apple World. That is why my next phone will not be an iPhone.



    Edit. Not to mention the fact that Netflix uses Windows DRM. Yeah, like Jobs would allow that on the iPhone.



    It would be like saying... Nobody is really using iTunes so we will use Microsoft's DRM on the iPhone.

    That is why we don't have Flash on the iPhone.



    No Revenue to Apple means you are being kept in a closed Apple confined world.
  • Reply 8 of 89
    postulantpostulant Posts: 1,272member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iPhone1982 View Post


    That is why my next phone will not be an iPhone.



    C'ya...



    I'm loving my closed Apple confined world.



    sincerely, fanboi
  • Reply 9 of 89
    steviet02steviet02 Posts: 594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iPhone1982 View Post


    Given Apple & AT&T's reluctance to allow Slingbox (Streaming Video) I don't see this ever happening.



    Apple wants you to use iTunes and nothing else for revenue reasons (even as lousy as there HD is). You are in a closed Apple World. That is why my next phone will not be an iPhone.



    Edit. Not to mention the fact that Netflix uses Windows DRM. Yeah, like Jobs would allow that on the iPhone.



    It would be like saying... Nobody is really using iTunes so we will use Microsoft's DRM on the iPhone.

    That is why we don't have Flash on the iPhone.



    No Revenue to Apple means you are being kept in a closed Apple confined world.



    Another person that didn't bother to read the article.
  • Reply 10 of 89
    ltmpltmp Posts: 204member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iPhone1982 View Post


    Given Apple & AT&T's reluctance to allow Slingbox (Streaming Video) I don't see this ever happening.



    Apple wants you to use iTunes and nothing else for revenue reasons (even as lousy as there HD is). You are in a closed Apple World. That is why my next phone will not be an iPhone.




    While I agree that Apple's closed ecosystem is designed to enhance revenue, it isn't completely closed. I watch tons of content from other sources on my iPhone. It just requires a file (rather than streaming) which I can convert to the iTunes format.



    Not that I would ever torrent anything, but if I did, it would be a snap to convert the AVI file to MPEG-4 and import it to iTunes.
  • Reply 11 of 89
    poochpooch Posts: 768member
    should be a great hit. at&t says i have an unlimited data plan. except for things like tethering, and downloading large iphone apps, and mms and -- i'll go out on a ledge here -- this.
  • Reply 12 of 89
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    There is little Apple or AT&T can do to block http live streaming. Streaming video to the iPhone does not need DRM.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iPhone1982 View Post


    Given Apple & AT&T's reluctance to allow Slingbox (Streaming Video) I don't see this ever happening.



    Apple wants you to use iTunes and nothing else for revenue reasons (even as lousy as there HD is). You are in a closed Apple World. That is why my next phone will not be an iPhone.



    Edit. Not to mention the fact that Netflix uses Windows DRM. Yeah, like Jobs would allow that on the iPhone.



    It would be like saying... Nobody is really using iTunes so we will use Microsoft's DRM on the iPhone.

    That is why we don't have Flash on the iPhone.



    No Revenue to Apple means you are being kept in a closed Apple confined world.



  • Reply 13 of 89
    oc4theooc4theo Posts: 294member
    If AT&T allows this to go thru, then everybody will be allowed. And if that happens, making phone calls or using internet will become a headache, just like cable is a headache.



    Video streaming should NOT be allowed on the iPhone. If you want to watch movie, stay your ass at home. There is already enough distractions on the road. No damn video streaming.
  • Reply 14 of 89
    bulk001bulk001 Posts: 764member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by OC4Theo View Post


    If AT&T allows this to go thru, then everybody will be allowed. And if that happens, making phone calls or using internet will become a headache, just like cable is a headache.



    Video streaming should NOT be allowed on the iPhone. If you want to watch movie, stay your ass at home. There is already enough distractions on the road. No damn video streaming.



    Yes because all iPhone users only commute by car. And no one but the driver in the car has an iPhone.
  • Reply 15 of 89
    I doubt this will be available to users outside the U.S. Canadians have been waiting for Hulu and cbs.com content to be made available and keep getting the same empty promises.



    Seriously, with the exception of iTunes removing DRM from music in all countries at once, non-Americans always get the shaft from Big Content, who can't get their s*** together in more than one country at a time.
  • Reply 16 of 89
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TenoBell View Post


    There is little Apple or AT&T can do to block http live streaming. Streaming video to the iPhone does not need DRM.



    Yes I did read the Video and unless (currently) they Video is is QuickTime (W ich is dead to the rest the world) or YouTube which has to be converted and can only be viewed on the iphone.



    Live with Steve dragging his skinny Ass upgrading potention virus Risks and know that you will NEVER HAVE STREAMING WITH ANYTHING THAT IS A COMPETING STANDARD.



    DUMB A?? SHEEP.
  • Reply 17 of 89
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Netflix on the iPod touch would be a minor miracle. I've been waiting for them to offer something for pre-Intel Mac owners to no avail. Keep going in this direction, Netflix!
  • Reply 18 of 89
    str1f3str1f3 Posts: 573member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by OC4Theo View Post


    If AT&T allows this to go thru, then everybody will be allowed. And if that happens, making phone calls or using internet will become a headache, just like cable is a headache.



    Video streaming should NOT be allowed on the iPhone. If you want to watch movie, stay your ass at home. There is already enough distractions on the road. No damn video streaming.



    You're hilarious! So the only time people are watching video on the iPhone is when their driving? LOL.



    What I don't understand from these services is why don't they just use the browser in Safari instead of making an app. Slingbox for the Mac already forces you to watch it through Sling.com. Why don't Sling and Netflix follow suit?
  • Reply 19 of 89
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by OC4Theo View Post


    If AT&T allows this to go thru, then everybody will be allowed. And if that happens, making phone calls or using internet will become a headache, just like cable is a headache.



    Video streaming should NOT be allowed on the iPhone. If you want to watch movie, stay your ass at home. There is already enough distractions on the road. No damn video streaming.



    HTC is about to release a phone witch full Adobe Flash on it. It does Multi-Tasking and you can watch HULU on it as well as anything in Windows Media Format.



    WinMo (6.5) will be known as Windows Phone and as for now Windows 7 will also be Windows Phone.



    End licensers can pick and choose what they want their phone to do. Kind of sounds like Google but not Free.

    .

    Google Donut will be multi touch as well as have full Flash compatibily.



    Can anyone say Motorola RAZR?
  • Reply 20 of 89
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by str1f3 View Post


    You're hilarious! So the only time people are watching video on the iPhone is when their driving? LOL.



    What I don't understand from these services is why don't they just use the browser in Safari instead of making an app. Slingbox for the Mac already forces you to watch it through Sling.com. Why don't Sling and Netflix follow suit?



    Because of Apple. No other reason. They gain no revenue so you are screwed into paying for their POS Video which can't even be compared with 720p. It looks more like VHS.
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