It’s finally here. Today, Netflix released a new and improved app for Android smartphone and tablet users. The new app release will make the Netflix service available to Android 3.x users, joining the Android 2.2 and 2.3 users who were included back in September.
“Prior to that,” writes Slashgear contributor Rue Liu, “the app only supported a very limited selection of Android devices.”
Perhaps the most notable contribution of the new app release is the fact that it will finally provide official support for those using Honeycomb tablets. For those who used to have to go through the annoying process of “digging up and installing a dumped .apk,” writes TechCrunch’s Chris Velazco, not having to deal with that “fuss” is definitely a plus.
According to Netflix, the new Android app will provide a significant boost to coverage in the United States, as well as increase the number of devices the company supports in Canada and Latin America. Netflix VP of product development Greg Peters said that the company is both “excited” at the opportunity to support Android devices and “thrilled” to include large numbers of Canadians and Latin Americans as it broadens its service reach and allows for greater flexibility in streaming movies and TV shows.
Netflix also predicts that Android smartphones will make up almost half of the smartphone market by 2012. This is according to analysis by Gartner Inc. The company could not say the same thing about what it called the “emerging, but rapidly growing category” of Android-powered tablets, though.