Netflix has been a pioneer in delivering Internet-streamed movies. The next step from big screen to small screen from Netflix may be even smaller—to smartphones.
Netflix account holders can now watch movies on demand on their computers, on their televisions through game consoles and digital video recorders—Netflix is now available on the Nintendo Wii. You can even watch Netflix movies on the Apple iPad. Now, the New York Times reports that Netflix is working on a movie player for Google's Android.
While it isn't clear which Android platform the work is for—there is word that Google is working on an Android set-top box for the Dish Network, and may also be working on its own answer to the iPad—it could mean that owners of Android-based smartphones will soon be able to watch streaming video of movies on their handset through their Netflix account.
Sure, video over current 3G networks would be painful. But if people are willing to watch movies they've downloaded to their iPod Touch or iPhone, a streamed movie over WiFi on an Android phone like the Nexus might be just the thing to kill some time in the airport, or covertly at your desk while on a conference call.
