Netflix Goes Global, Certifies TI's Silicon For Android Streaming
Netflix will expand its video streaming service to 43 countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean later this year. Netflix has been streaming to U.S. members since 2007, adding the service in Canada in 2010.
Upon launch, Netflix members from Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean will be able to watch a wide array of American, local and global TV shows and movies on their TVs via a range of consumer electronics devices capable of streaming from Netflix, as well as on PCs, Macs and mobile devices.
Members in the region will be able to access Netflix in Spanish, Portuguese, or English, depending on their preference.
In other Netflix news, Texas Instruments (TI) today became the first partner to achieve the Netflix Silicon Reference Implementation (SRI) certification for the Netflix HD application on Android. TI’s OMAP 4 platform, complete with M-Shield security technology and TI’s quad-radio WiLink 7.0 connectivity combo solution, met the Netflix requirements for mobile content streaming, including the ability to run up to full high-definition (HD) 1080p video within strict security measures.
This marks the first time Netflix has certified its 1080p streaming application with end-to-end protection on a mobile device.
"Netflix already has a rich heritage of streaming to PCs, Macs, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs, iPhone and iPad, and many set-top-boxes, so we sought a semiconductor partner that could bring our service to the broader mobile environment smoothly and securely," said Bill Holmes, VP/Business Development, Netflix, in a statemnet. "TI’s OMAP architecture and M-Shield security will set the stage for a high-performance, low-power, secure platform that will help Netflix members instantly watch unlimited TV shows and movies on Android devices."
The OMAP 4 platform’s Netflix certification supports Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) today, with support for additional Android versions planned for this year. Devices with the OMAP 4 processor-driven Netflix application pre-installed will be launched in the near future.
