Multichannel News is out with a compelling Netflix report rumor:
The company will soon offer the Watch Instantly video-streaming feature on Apple iPhones and iPod touch devices and the Nintendo Wii gaming console, according to an industry executive familiar with Netflix’s plans.
We’ve seen the Wii pop up as a potential Netflix streaming video destination on a few occasions – specifically via online surveys and possibly via employment opportunities. What we don’t know is the period of gaming platform exclusivity Microsoft currently enjoys with the Xbox 360. But this is the first I’ve heard of an iPhone client. Hacking Netflix doubts it’ll happen. If we take AT&T’s (incapable?) network out of the equation, I could see Apple approving a WiFi-only client. Unlike the hobbled Slingbox software, a free app download coupled with Netflix’s free streaming (for subscribers) won’t hurt so much. In fact, bring it on!
Lastly, as I took the liberty of re-purposing CoolIris’ graphic (above) I suggest you give their site a visit. Mari’s a big fan of the visual media search and playback engine, which is also obviously available as an iPhone app.
Netflix on iPhone ( wifi or not ) is yet another conflict of interest since it duplicates Apple TV movies.
You can expect the same refusal for Netflix as Google Voice was given.
I just love how the closed, hardware locked, B2B backroom deal protection ratchets are showing themselves to be the fastest way to paint oneself into a corner to the determent of your paying customers ( aka Nietzsche’s “The system will eat itself” ).
Damn Todd beat me to it! I think adding it to the Wii is a smart move! This may make me use the Wii alittle more than I do. Now I’ll just sit back and wait for Sony to pull the heads out of their asses!
more noise than substance. Very few people will watch full length video on mobile as long as screen sizes are small and battery life even smaller. More important to manage my queue on the phone than stream video.
I don’t own an iPhone but I do own a Wii.
I am looking forward to this.
Great. That’s all I need is another way to waste time.
I can’t wait!!
so would this mean iTunes’ catalog of music will be featured on the Netflix site? i don’t think this will work unless one gobbled the other.
@dvrman: I have an app on my iPhone that will manage my queue with no hassle.
As a netflix customer, I would love to see this to watch one of the 30/60 min shows on my hour lunchbreak, unfortunately I suspect it would be wifi only and my work does not have wifi.
This iPhone app will be awesome and I’m already enjoying watching on my wii..can’t wait!