Netflix Service Won’t Be Available On Rooted, Unlocked Android Devices

Netflix has recently announced that its service will now be unavailable on rooted or unlocked Android devices. This means the online video streaming service won't be running on several million subscribers across the world.

As reported by Forbes, since the latest Netflix v5.0 app completely relies on the WIdevine DRM offered by Google, it won't support altered or Google uncertified devices. Many Android users whose device is rooted or unlocked have reported that although their previously installed app is working just fine, the latest Netflix app seems to have stopped functioning on their phone with a message stating "incompatible with their device" whenever they try to install from Google Play Store.

The Verse states that even though Netflix hasn't provided any specific cause, one can easily guess the reason behind this act. The version 5 of Netflix app leans on Google's Widevine digital rights management solution, whose purpose is to protect film and television companies from piracy. And anyone using a rooted or unlocked phone holds full control over the OS and gain access to admin panel, which provides greater possibilities of breaking the rules proposed by the DRM.

Another speculated reason behind Netflix's action is their newly enabled downloads for offline viewing, which allows the user to download the video and watch it later offline, reports Mashable. The app may work just fine on rooted devices if installed already, but, if not, the users won't be able to download the app from Google Play Store.

Even though the intentions of Netflix are good behind their decision, it sure is proving to be incredibly negative for millions of users who have a rooted or unlocked Android device. In fact, according to a survey by AndroidHeadlines, over 25% Android users root their mobile device to increase its efficiency, which certainly is a thing to worry even for Netflix.