Netflix Video Streaming Coming to the iPhone?

[bretm]

in 2 years we went from using cell phones to make calls and some light network tasks to streaming HD quality video. no one can upgrade a network this fast to handle this kind of growth

Nobody is streaming anything close to HD.

 

[NJMetsHero]

Wow this would be awesome even on Wifi for me. My setup would just make it so useful. My dad uses Netflix at home and I sign on with his account at school and watch videos all the time. The stuff on there streams way better than on Hulu. They have so much more stuff, and even if it is just on Wifi I could watch stuff where ever I am on campus.

It kind of competes with the iTunes Store though, don't know why Apple would allow it.

I even like it for my Wii, being able to watch the content on my TV would be great too.

 

[SFStateStudent]

Yup, a difficult call by Apple to allow competition to go head-to-head with its iTunes. If so, why not just give GV the green light as well.....

 

[AidenShaw]

My dad uses Netflix at home and I sign on with his account at school and watch videos all the time.

Are you sure that's legal, and not a theft of services from Netflix?

"Borrowing" someone else's username and password to access a service is usually against the T's&C's.

 

[fleshman03]

TV is a closed system. Why would Apple want to lose money to Netflix, Hulu, etc? Apple offers a movie rental service that is a competitor to Netflix...

Apple would do it to make money on the set top box. As an FYI - Netflix instant doesn't often have new releases. iTunes would be there for that.

Netflix would do it to reach out to the Apple community and build a larger customer base.

Both sides stand to make a lot of money from something like this.

 

[NAG]

Are you sure that's legal, and not a theft of services from Netflix?

"Borrowing" someone else's username and password to access a service is usually against the T's&C's.

As long as they aren't using it at the same time I don't see the issue. Netflix doesn't make you have an account for every person in your household to watch movies at home.

 

[rock6079]

should be great for my battery life

 

[mrmayor92]

seriously this would be awesome

 

[Jayomat]

not gonna happen...now.

 

[pika2000]

Well, I hope more and more apps like this come out, to challenge the way the app store approval process work, especially with the FTC poking in.

 

[sseelman]

Are you sure that's legal, and not a theft of services from Netflix?

"Borrowing" someone else's username and password to access a service is usually against the T's&C's.

only one active instant watch stream can be operating at any given time. The netflix system can detect that a second session is trying to be started and the second one is rejected with an error message. Trust me. I tried.

 

[amacisbetter]

HTTP Video?

Couldn't all of these video services just use HTTP video to bypass the app store? Apple introduced the feature in the new iPhone 3.0 software if I'm not mistaken. The content would have to be converted from Flash, but HTTP video is pretty slick in that it can change the video quality on the fly depending on bandwidth.

Hulu and Netflix should be able to easily create a nice interface for mobile Safari that would use http video. There is no way AT&T or Apple could block a website that would be accessed through the browser. I mean, I guess they "could", but wouldn't that be considered illegal/censorship?

This is a pretty good article I found when I searched for iphone http video.
http://newteevee.com/2009/06/30/video-see-apples-http-adaptive-video-streaming-in-action/

 

[Shasterball]

Can you imagine trying to watch a movie on 3G? You'd be lucky to watch the first 30 minutes before the battery died...

 

[clevin]

i dont know.

I do like the idea, and if netflix can make it for iphone, there should not be any technical difficulties in making it for my pre.

however, consider the battery drain of 3G data, quality of 3G data, as well as the time constrain and screen size, I can hardly imagine myself watching a movie on the phone.

if it were to work only on wi-fi,,,,,,,people might just prefer watching it on a big screen tv or laptop...

It probably will be a popular installation on many unit, but it probably wont be a significant market for netflix.

 

[AidenShaw]

As long as they aren't using it at the same time I don't see the issue. Netflix doesn't make you have an account for every person in your household to watch movies at home.

Netflix explicitly uses the term "household" in their description of the service.

For certain plans, you will be allowed to instantly watch simultaneously on more than one personal computer or through more than one Netflix ready device within your household, up to total of four devices at a given time.

http://www.netflix.com/TermsOfUse?lnktrk=FTI_TOU

If "household" includes "dependent full-time college students residing at the college location" then it would be OK. It all depends on their definition of "household".

It may be OK, it may be theft of services - it's up to Netflix. In any event, it's very easy for Netflix to see what's going on, and to block the service if it's a violation.

only one active instant watch stream can be operating at any given time. The netflix system can detect that a second session is trying to be started and the second one is rejected with an error message. Trust me. I tried.

It depends on your plan, to wit:

Q:Can I watch movies instantly on more than one PC or Netflix ready device?

A:Some membership plans allow you to watch simultaneously on more than one personal computer or Netflix ready device at the same time (for example, watching a movie on your laptop while another family member watches on a TV via a Netflix ready device in another room ).

1-disc plans may watch on one device at a time, 2-disc plans on up to two devices at the same time, 3-disc plans on up to three devices, and plans with four or more discs on up to four devices simultaneously.

In addition, due to requirements from content providers, there's a limit to the number of unique devices each account can use to watch instantly. Each Netflix account may watch instantly on up to six unique authorized devices, including personal computers and Netflix ready devices.

http://www.netflix.com/FAQ?p_faqid=2902

 

[tropic10]

Couldn't all of these video services just use HTTP video to bypass the app store? Apple introduced the feature in the new iPhone 3.0 software if I'm not mistaken. The content would have to be converted from Flash, but HTTP video is pretty slick in that it can change the video quality on the fly depending on bandwidth.

Hulu and Netflix should be able to easily create a nice interface for mobile Safari that would use http video. There is no way AT&T or Apple could block a website that would be accessed through the browser. I mean, I guess they "could", but wouldn't that be considered illegal/censorship?

This is a pretty good article I found when I searched for iphone http video.
http://newteevee.com/2009/06/30/video-see-apples-http-adaptive-video-streaming-in-action/

Yes! The HTTP adaptive streaming video feature from OS 3.0 would work great for Netflix. And it will work from a web page. Go to the following URL with your iPhone for an example:

http://iphone.akamai.com/

An app in the App Store would be very nice. But Netflix doesn't need Apple or AT&T's approval to do this.

On a side note, I'm thinking of setting up an HTTP server at home and trying this myself. I found these instructions yesterday.

http://www.ioncannon.net/programmin...ing-with-ffmpeg-and-an-open-source-segmenter/

I'm surprised that this feature hasn't gotten more attention (even though the MLB app does use it). It's very slick.

 

[Scarpad]

Can't wait for Netflix on the Wii. That's one more nail for the current AppleTV incarnation. Apple really needs to update the AppleTV.

My Appletv was sold this week, it really got to the point that I could do most of what I was doing with the ATV with other devices, minus the format restrictions the ATV imposes.

 

[alent1234]

Nobody is streaming anything close to HD.

either way when the original iphone came out the first adopters said it was so good because it could download an entire website which is around 100KB to 3MB for the complex ones. now people are whining that AT&T won't let them download 1GB files at will. 3G was never designed for this.

 

[LizKat]

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.....

Where I live, one wouldn't even be able to count on streaming a movie over wifi. There's just not enough bandwidth. If you complain, they say "there's just not enough bandwidth." It's not like there's currently or soon any competition to bring any more of it to exurban areas.

Netflix does identify which picks could be streamed but I've never even tried it. Netfix over wifi would maybe work OK at 3am on a weekday morning!

As far as TV goes, lack of bandwidth to stream is not even the issue for me. I prefer to buy iTunes downloads without ads.

The ads are why I don't even have a TV or cable sub any more. For cable --after all these years!-- to refuse to fix their entirely fixable problem of the loudness of local ads vs. the volume of their remote content feed was just the last straw for me. Sure I could hit the mute button but why should I have to do that. So I hit the really big mute button, the one on the pen I write checks with.

 

[Electrolytic]

Cool app but lame on use only on wi-fi...

 

[AidenShaw]

Actually, 3G is designed for this

...now people are whining that AT&T won't let them download 1GB files at will. 3G was never designed for this.

With current speeds of 7 to 14 Mbps, with 42 coming with HSPA+ - the technology was definitely designed for this.

The problem is that AT&T's network is horrendously over-subscribed, and can't begin to deliver the speeds they advertise to more than a few users per tower (if even that).

(I use "over-subscribed" in the technical networking sense, that the uplinks and network fabric do not have the capacity to simultaneously run each end-point at "wire speed".)

 

[billchase2]

I'm very excited to read about this news! It's be cool to have Netflix on the iPhone... but it'd be especially great to have it on the Wii (since I don't own a 360).

Hopefully the rumors are true!

With current speeds of 7 to 14 Mbps, with 42 coming with HSPA+ - the technology was definitely designed for this.

The problem is that AT&T's network is horrendously over-subscribed, and can't begin to deliver the speeds they advertise to more than a few users per tower (if even that).

(I use "over-subscribed" in the technical networking sense, that the uplinks and network fabric do not have the capacity to simultaneously run each end-point at "wire speed".)

...and this is very true. Even on 3G my streaming radio stations have to buffer every now and then. There's no way video would stream well.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I'm very excited to read about this news! It's be cool to have Netflix on the iPhone... but it'd be especially great to have it on the Wii (since I don't own a 360).

Hopefully the rumors are true!



...and this is very true. Even on 3G my streaming radio stations have to buffer every now and then. There's no way video would stream well.

Then how does my MLB@Bat App stream so well over 3G? Sure, it's not pristine perfect quality, but it's damn OK for casual viewing while away from the conventional items that I'd normally view TV on.

 

[ctdonath]

Why in the world would Apple approve this App?

Because if Apple starts squelching too many cool high-demand apps, wallets are gonna go elsewhere. The iPod platform isn't the only cool touch-screen multi-app gizmo out there.

We love Apple, but we still love freedom more. Limit my apps too much and I'll develop an interest in Android...

 

[Jamie 360]

Can't wait for Netflix on the Wii. That's one more nail for the current AppleTV incarnation. Apple really needs to update the AppleTV.

But they must be referring to the next generation Wii... The current Wii doesn't even support Dolby 5.1.