Netflix app coming to iPhone, iPod Touch
Admit it. You were jealous when you found out iPad users were getting streaming Netflix video. Well, envy no more: iPhone and iPod users are getting it, too.
CNET's Dan Ackerman called Netflix for iPad "one of the best reasons we can think of to sign on to Apple's new device." And I believe him.
That's why I've been battling the green-eyed monster since iPad launch day. The surprising news of streaming Netflix movies and TV shows was almost enough to get me to stand in line and spend $500 I wasn't planning to spend. Almost.
But surely, I thought, surely Netflix will share the app love with us lowly iPhone and iPod Touch users? Please, please, please, please?
Thank you! Turns out, Netflix does indeed plan to offer an iPhone/Touch version of the app. Here's the word from The Official Netflix Blog:
Steve Swasey, VP of corporate communications, here. Terrific response to our news today about Netflix on the iPad. For those of you asking whether Netflix will be on the iPhone and iPod Touch: We wouldn't invite you to dinner without planning to serve dessert. In other words, we're working on it so stay tuned.
Happy dance! See, I'm already a Netflix subscriber, and I enjoy streaming stuff to both my media-center PC and a Roku box. Adding my iPhone into the mix will be icing on an already yummy cake.
If you're not a subscriber, Netflix plans start at $4.99 per month for two hours worth of streaming or $8.99 for unlimited. (Oh, and one of those round plastic movie thingies by mail.) That's not per-device, either: you can tap the Watch Instantly library on all your Netflix-enabled devices.
I can't help wondering if the Netflix-for-iPhone app will be featured in Thursday's iPhone OS 4.0 unveiling. Guess we'll have to "stay tuned" and see.