Netflix bringing streaming rentals to Macs, game console next?

Recent announcements on iTunes rentals certainly caused a stir amongst the neglected Mac-masses, but it looks like the online rental game is about to get a little more cutthroat for fanboys and fangirls everywhere. According to a new report (and backed up by an earlier blog post), streaming content for Netflix subscribers is headed to Mac screens in 2008 -- if everyone has their way. During the company's Q4 earnings call this week, the snail-mail service hinted that this would be the year that streaming rentals would come to Mac users due to the advent of DRM options that play nice with Apple's gear (namely, Microsoft's Silverlight technology). Combine this with news that the company plans to offer all-you-can-eat online rentals for $8.99 a month, its intentions to bring a STB to market with LG, and a possible game console partnership -- well, it all adds up to stiff competition for Apple and other challengers, despite what they say.

[Via Mac Rumors]

Read - Netflix: Mac Streaming Coming This Year
Read - Instant watching on Mac, Firefox, and more

[booticon @ Jan 24th 2008 11:45AM]

It's about time.

Re: console partnership, I'd love to hear what company they go with. The LG box has potential, but I don't want another stinkin' STB.

[Jeff @ Jan 24th 2008 12:34PM]

The idea with the LG box is that it's just a DVD player with Netflix built in. It's not another STB. If you're gonna buy a DVD player anyway, you may as well get one with Netflix streaming.

That's why they said this would be the first of many such announcements. They're hoping this becomes something of a standard feature in future DVD players. (As a Netflix investor, I hope so too.)

[booticon @ Jan 24th 2008 1:21PM]

Who doesn't have a DVD player though? (Well, I just play DVDs through my 360.)

[KR @ Jan 24th 2008 11:49AM]

That's good news! I recently reinstated my Netflix membership after taking awhile off. Being a Mac user, it'll be nice to have the streaming option. I dunno how much I'd actually use it, but it's nice to know it's there.

[Eric YJ Chiu @ Jan 24th 2008 11:51AM]

El Jobso was wrong about one thing:

MacBook Air doesnt need an optical drive not because of DRMed Rentals, its because of the Bay!

[John Ellenich @ Jan 24th 2008 11:55AM]

If they have a console partner ship- probably either Nintendo or Sony, considering Microsoft already has a rental service, this is going to be amazing!

[Flit @ Jan 24th 2008 12:17PM]

Yeah, the last thing XBL needs right now is MORE network traffic, considering the Undertow download took me a half hour to get since the service kept going down (ha!). Xbox does have the highest number of connected consoles though, and would be nice for those people who don't want another stb, perhaps netflix would subsidise a separate xbox network just to stream netflix videos on.

The firefox plugin is my biggest sticking point, and i'm very pleased to hear they are working on it. I hate having to open IE when i want to stream movies, It took me a half hour to get IE up to date to even play the movies the first time. With Firefox's addons support, imagine the possibilities.

Surfing imdb.com and see a movie you are interested in? Right click-Add to netflix cue (or link to instant netflix online stream even).

[John @ Jan 24th 2008 12:33PM]

I'd guess they'd partner with Sony. The PS3 has more builtin storage, and is more meant to function as a media center than the Wii is. Of course, there are also fewer PS3s than Wiis, so that might influence any decisions.

[booticon @ Jan 24th 2008 1:22PM]

I would say that the Wii is out, since it doesn't do HD.

[Sonic_13 @ Jan 24th 2008 4:02PM]

But the streaming movies from Netflix aren't in HD...

[edgore @ Jan 24th 2008 7:05PM]

"Surfing imdb.com and see a movie you are interested in? Right click-Add to netflix cue (or link to instant netflix online stream even)."

Not gonna happen - Amazon owns IMDB. Now immediately download through Unbox, maybe...but then again, who cares.

[MadMike @ Jan 24th 2008 11:56AM]

How long till someone finds a way to crack the DRM and we can then rent the movies without the time limit or watch them for free while streaming them into mpegs.

[nezromatron @ Jan 24th 2008 12:03PM]

Why would you need to bother? It's an unlimited service. Just download the movie again. Or here's a novel idea. BUY the movie if you really want instant access to watch it at any time. I can't wait till this comes to the PS3, they can DRM it to hell for all I care, just make it work and offer HD content.

[Joe @ Jan 24th 2008 12:05PM]

Haven't you heard? Netflix already removed the time limit for streaming movies! As for recording, don't bother. Most of the movies being offered for streaming are hardly worth the trouble.

[John @ Jan 24th 2008 12:35PM]

Or you could just exploit the analog hole and make a cam of a rented movie. Sure, the quality wouldn't be there, but if you're going to bother stealing a movie you're renting sans-time limit, why not do it the most ridiculous way possible.

[MadMike @ Jan 24th 2008 12:59PM]

That's not the point. I have Netflix, they send me HD-DVD & Blu-Ray disks, and I watch them a few times and send them back. I like it. It works well for me. I save a ton on buying the darn disks that I would probably only watch once or twice anyway.

I wouldn't use iTunes period. Because I can get any movie I want in HD-DVD or Blu-Ray and see it in pure 1080p. The same goes for Netflix. It's not 1080p so I don't care.

Granted if they had 1080p videos on demand for a monthly fee that worked on my PS3 - I'd be all over that like a fat kid on a cupcake.

As for the DRM - It's almost obligatory to crack, just on principal. I don't pirate much anything anymore. I get music with satellite radio, I have Netflix and I have digital cable with a HD DVR. Record all my shows, fast forward past all the commercials. I even use GameFly for my PS3 games. And best of all the prices are reasonable. I have FiOS for cable hence my cable prices are reasonable.

[Pedro @ Jan 24th 2008 11:57AM]

downloadable netflix directly to something like the Apple TV would be my holy grail. Heck, if they expanded their library, I'd even recommend computer neophytes like my parents getting one! They could just dial up whatever movie they wanted and watch it instantly!

[Sam Winter @ Jan 24th 2008 5:29PM]

Um.. and why wouldn't you just use iTunes then? Are you starting with the presumption that you have an existing physical media Netflix account?

[edgore @ Jan 24th 2008 7:08PM]

Netflix might be preferable to iTunes, since the Watch It Now feature is unlimited, versus pay per show/movie for iTunes. Limited selection at the moment though.

[VitaminCM @ Jan 24th 2008 12:05PM]

If they really want to break Apple's back (and other parts) they should make an app that allows you to stream the Netflix movies through an Apple TV.
Use their own beautiful gadget to defeat their movie rental service.

[Aron Trimble @ Jan 24th 2008 12:07PM]

Give me an HD stb w/unlimited rentals for $8.99 and I'd buy now!

[ScOObyDoo @ Jan 24th 2008 12:08PM]

Die Blockbuster, die.

[Jamus @ Jan 24th 2008 12:11PM]

Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of Netflix finally getting friendly with Macs; but I HATE the idea of using Silverlight to do it. Microsoft's sneaking/forcing in of Silverlight as opposed to putting it out there and saying "here is our goods and why we think it is best" just does not sit well with me.

[Lars @ Jan 24th 2008 1:38PM]

You love the most fascist company out there, and hate the 2nd most... Got it.

[michael @ Jan 24th 2008 10:52PM]

If you actually have tried some Silverlight apps., they're pretty interesting. And from what I've heard, Silverlight is easier to work with, or that it does more things than Flash.

I bet if Adobe released a new non-Flash format, and get some partners to utilize it, would that be sneaky too? Even if it's technically better than the old format, and does a heck lot more?

[Barry @ Jan 24th 2008 12:22PM]

Ah yes, they're making us wait for streams on Macs because they don't have that DRM all their customers are demanding. And by 'demanding' I mean DO NOT WANT.

The irony is that it's dead simple to rip a DVD. Maybe they should stop renting DVDs until they fix that.

[jus10 @ Jan 24th 2008 4:37PM]

Well, it takes time to rip/transcode a DVD. Honestly I think fox got it right with their digital copy stuff. You just put in the second disk, iTunes pops up, you put in a code and it puts a DRM-encoded movie right into iTunes. Plug in the iPod to sync and I'm done.

Its the best of both worlds. Yes, I get icky, evil DRM but I also could rip/re-encode if I wanted to. Personally I'd love that on any DVD I buy.

As to the main topic, Netflix using Silverlight kills the idea for me. Honestly I'm waiting to see a HD movie rental on an AppleTV at the store and then I might pick one of those up and cancel my Netflix subscription.

[Jeff @ Jan 24th 2008 12:28PM]

I'd love to see a Netflix streaming "watch it Now" feature on the AppleTV, but i somehow doubt we'll see it.

The last thing i'm going to do is buy another ugly STB when i already have an AppleTV.

The next best thing (for me) from AppleTV integration would be the Wii... but then HD would probably be a no-go, which would be a bummer.

Will the Apple TV ever get an SDK? That'd allow (without hacking) Netflix and Joost - and all other kinds of goodies. i doubt it, but i can hope.

[Raghu @ Jan 24th 2008 12:49PM]

Netflix on ATV would be my vote too!

[steedums @ Jan 24th 2008 12:31PM]

they should hook up streaming to the xbox 360. already huge installed base, and a working relationship with microsoft. shouldnt be hard

[Tim @ Jan 24th 2008 12:37PM]

What about Linux? When are we going to see support for Firefox?

[Tim @ Jan 24th 2008 12:39PM]

What about Linux? or Firefox compatibility?

[Tim @ Jan 24th 2008 12:40PM]

NM, not only did I not read the article before posting, but I double commented as well.

Big foot in the mouth.

[edgore @ Jan 24th 2008 12:44PM]

If they have a console deal it is almost certainly going to be with Xbox 360, since Reed Hasting the CEO of Netflix sits on the Microsoft board. I really don't see him doing a deal with anyone else, do you?

[Jared @ Jan 24th 2008 12:47PM]

Agreed, plus the base for the xbox 360 is the largest base and has the largest portion of people online

[Smacksmackums @ Jan 24th 2008 12:45PM]

I want it for the Xbox360. That would be great.

[Heffer @ Jan 24th 2008 12:52PM]

If you want to know what happened to NBC when they left iTunes just come to Netflix. I've watched the entire Season 3 of The Office and Season 1 of Heroes over the last 3 weeks. Dexter (CBS/Showtime) and 30 Rock is next.

But looking at the big pictures Apple & Netflix's online services are targeting 2 different markets. Apple carries the latest releases where Netflix has a library of over 6k, but most of the selection has been around for over a year.

When people say "There's nothing to watch" on Netflix Online service they really mean Transformers, Pirates of the Carribean or The Simpsons Movie are not available. That's the niche Apple fills in.

There are plenty of good movies, TV series, and docs if you know what you're looking for. (Pan's Labyrinth anyone?) Look for Netflix to double the online library to 12k by the end of 2008.

[Zak @ Jan 24th 2008 12:58PM]

I see this as a good thing just because in the context of online rentals, you'll be able to choose whether you want to use Netflix's subscription model, or iTunes' per-rental model.

[justboy @ Jan 24th 2008 1:04PM]

I like the direction that Netflix is taking, but i really wish that they would jump into the "game rental" market too.

I'd be willing to pay an extra $10 a month if i could get games from the same service i can get movies.

[dburney @ Jan 24th 2008 1:17PM]

Please make this work with my PS3 - I'm already sharing all my media from my Mac to my PS3, this would be the icing on the cake. I don't mind if it isn't HD - 420p would be fine for streaming. I would still get most of movies on Blu-Ray from Netflix, but I could stream documentaries and other stuff that I wouldn't necessarily have to watch in HD.

[Reid @ Jan 24th 2008 1:20PM]

In related news, I hear that a quad-core Mac Pro makes a beast of a Netflix DVD-ripping machine, and I also hear rumors that the resulting files are DRM-free...

[Zak @ Jan 24th 2008 1:34PM]

I've heard about that, but I've also heard that: 1). that's illegal, 2). you still have to wait for Netflix to send you the movie, which is exactly why online rentals are attractive to people who want to watch a movie in the next 5 minutes, and 3). Not everybody wants a copy of every movie they've ever watched.

[jus10 @ Jan 24th 2008 4:40PM]

You missed #5 - I could buy every DVD I want right now for the price of an OctoCore

[rickane58 @ Jan 24th 2008 6:58PM]

poor number four, always left out of the list, left out in the cold to make it on your own.
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[tubes @ Jan 24th 2008 1:39PM]

Wow! This is what I've been waiting for! I wonder if it's going to be Intel-only. Probably. Well, looks like it's time to finally get that 24 inch iMac I've been wanting. :)

[Duane @ Jan 24th 2008 2:02PM]

iTunes movie rentals really need to switch to a "buffet" price now.

[David S @ Jan 24th 2008 2:08PM]

Almost perfect...

MCE Integration... Imagine if this worked with any MCE Extender (including the 360)...

[JONES @ Jan 24th 2008 3:17PM]

Time Warner Cable is gonna start testing putting caps on bandwidths in certain market and seeing if buyers will buy into packages. I wonder how this will effect the current state of downloading and streaming content that obviously will become the norm. Any thoughts?

[rickane58 @ Jan 24th 2008 6:59PM]

well, F me, that didn't turn out right at all. Damn this needs a preview button

[evansls @ Jan 24th 2008 8:46PM]

I can't wait for this to become available for the mac. I want to rent unlimited amount of movies off the internet to my TV for a small token of a price of $20 or below. I will never buy a digitial movie for $10 or $20 or rent single movies for $2.99 when I can buy a hard copy version for $10.00 and rip it myself for a digital copy.