Netflix Video Streaming Coming to the iPhone?

[runeasgar]

"The report notes that a similar restriction is likely for any Netflix video streaming on the iPhone."

...but I can stream YouTube and audio (iHeartRadio, Slacker, Pandora, etc, etc) via 3g...

If ATT is scared of video, they need to ban YouTube streaming via 3g. Oh wait...

(I actually think bans are Apple, not ATT. I watched Singbox on my Bold all the time via 3g).

The bans are definitely at&t. Their concern is that the iPhone is a more capable device, with a better screen, that more people have it, and that everyone who has it has a data plan.

All this combines to a lot more bandwidth usage than from Blackberry Bolds.

Quote from at&t:

"Slingbox, which would use large amounts of wireless network capacity, could create congestion and potentially prevent other customers from using the network. The application does not run on our 3G wireless network. Applications like this, which redirect a TV signal to a personal computer, are specifically prohibited under our terms of service. We consider smartphones like the iPhone to be personal computers in that they have the same hardware and software attributes as PCs."

 

[Vandam500]

Wow, if this is true then I will be renewing my Netflix account! Thank goodness my 3GS is jailbroken and if it is only over Wifi then I won't be letting AT&T ruin my experience

 

[twoodcc]

this will be very nice. i don't use netflix, but i know a lot of people do.

 

[Westside guy]

I have Netflix, I have an iPod Touch... but, having tried it a few times, I can't see myself getting excited about being ablt to stream videos to that tiny screen.

I was much more excited when Netflix made streaming available to my Tivo, though. My TV's screen is much larger than my iPod's.

 

[mrrydogg]

I skipped on the slingbox app, but this would be awesome!

 

[macerroneous]

Just you wait

If you don't want to stream movies to your puny iPod Touch, you'll want to see Apple announce the Netflix App in September, the same time they unveil the fully operational, 10 inch iPod Death Star. One device to rule the media universe!

 

[Excellerator]

This would be great. I hope its true. There are three apps I would love to see on the iphone 1) Netflix 2) Hulu and 3) Rhapsody. Then it would be perfect.

 

[kas23]

Sorry to rain on everyone's parade, but it'll be a cold day in hell when netfix is offered via the iPhone. Why in the world would Apple approve this App? Remember, Apple is anti-competition and they would want anything to compete with movies rented via iTunes. For those who think this is even a remotely possibility, you must've not owned your iPhone for very while. Next up, Dells being sold at the Apple Store.

 

[Full of Win]

For the love of God....please.

This thought has crossed my mind now and again for the last 6 months.

 

[rjohnstone]

I don't know that its a bad idea to limit the streaming of whole movies at a time to wifi. If the network can't handle it id rather them limit this than open it up and have the network grind down under the load.....

+1

Although I could see it happen over 3G if they can get the video stream down to a reasonable size.

Most YouTube videos are pretty low res and don't eat up much bandwidth.
But then again, most of the videos look like crap too.

 

[DogHouseDub]

This is a better idea for the TV, if it isn't available already.

Back when everyone was asking the Boxee folks to add Netflix to the TV they said the processor couldn't handle it (I assume the problem is Silverlight?). Now you're telling me the processor on my iPhone can? Sounds like it would be a completely reworked front end for Netflix, one that could run on wimpier hardware.

 

[macUser2007]

Finally, if true, some good news.

Now, we badly need FLASH, so we can see Flash sites and video, too (like HULU.)

 

[iOrlando]

it will be denied by the app approval process.

apple wants to make it clear.....

fart apps = easy passage
useful apps involving communication and media = no passage


*kidding*

 

[designgeek]

Psh, not if AT&T has anything to say about it.

 

[jdechko]

Yeah, and I was thinking "if AT&T has anything to say about it, it will be WiFi only."

If Verizon gets the iPhone when they go 4G, I might be switching back. AT&T quality of service has been somewhat dodgy, and the customer service has been average. The data rates suck.

 

[NoExpectations]

Get real.

Psh, not if AT&T has anything to say about it.

Everyone....get real. No cellular network (whether it is ATT's, Vodaphone's, Duetsch Telecom's, or any other exclusive iPhone provider around the world) will ever be able to support 40 million users walking around getting live video feeds. The infrastructure is just not there. To support such a large capacity, our monthly rate's would have to double/triple to support all the necessary upgrades.

 

[TheMBC]

Yeah, because at this point AT&T's wisest move would be to restrict an application from entering the App Store

Meh, that's my wishful thinking

Hulu next, please!?

 

[Thex1138]

Alternate Power Source

It will be HD for the Tablet, not for iPod or iPhone.

 

[satcomer]

We can all thank AT&T for limiting this app to Wifi only!

Exactly!

 

[blacknblu]

Netflix - Watch Instantly

Seriously, have you checked out their catalog? I can hardly wait to watch Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Why not just tether to your laptop using the jail broken iphone, and stream the movie over the connection? - I couldn't resist, and I'm not sorry...

 

[citi]

Seriously, have you checked out their catalog? I can hardly wait to watch Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Why not just tether to your laptop using the jail broken iphone, and stream the movie over the connection? - I couldn't resist, and I'm not sorry...

Then you haven't really looked at their catalog. It's getting better and better by the day. They are even streaming TV shows in HD that just aired.

 

[mambodancer]

"The report notes that a similar restriction is likely for any Netflix video streaming on the iPhone."

...but I can stream YouTube and audio (iHeartRadio, Slacker, Pandora, etc, etc) via 3g...

If ATT is scared of video, they need to ban YouTube streaming via 3g. Oh wait...

(I actually think bans are Apple, not ATT. I watched Singbox on my Bold all the time via 3g).

ATT is responsible for preventing video streaming on the iphone. As a percent of users on ATT's network, iPhone users have dominated picture uploads to photo sharing sites and video uploads to youtube. Far more than any other model of mobile, possibly far more than all mobiles combined on ATT's data network. That is what ATT is concerned about.

 

[iphones4evry1]

AWESOME !!!!!! This is going to be awesome !

(however, I have doubts that the movie production companies are going to allow Netflix to get any bigger before they pull the plug and make everyone go back to buying DVDs and TV shows)

 

[Silencio]

I'd be interested in this for the Wii more than anything. However, I have to wonder if the Wii will have the horsepower to process the video streams in any reasonable manner. I've played around with streaming video from my Mac Pro to my Wii with a nice little app called Wii Transfer, but the quality was definitely lacking IMO.

 

[avrpatsfan]

awesome

not a big library but this will be awesome! one of my favorite shows has season s on netflix. Hopefully the steaming will be fast. usually it is good on my ps3.