There are already dozens of Netflix-ready devices available to customers that leverage Windows Media DRM, with more on the way later this year integrating additional Microsoft Digital Rights Management technologies, after a new agreement inked by the Redmond company and Netflix. Per the deal penned by the duo, upcoming Netflix-ready devices and applications will feature Microsoft PlayReady as the primary DRM technology, while also leveraging the Protected Interoperable File Format (PIFF) in streaming scenarios.
Netflix launched its device-ready program years ago, in 2007. However, until this point in time, Windows-based PCs and Macs were the focus when it came down to PlayReady integration allowing customers to view Netflix content. This will change come summer 2010, when the first Netflix-ready devices and applications with PlayReady and PIFF will launch on the market.
“Netflix ready devices are a popular way for our members to instantly watch the huge library of TV episodes and movies available from Netflix that can be watched instantly on their TVs,” Bill Holmes, vice president of business development at Netflix, noted. “Netflix is expanding our investment in PlayReady and making PlayReady our primary DRM technology because it best meets the requirements of our content suppliers and device partners while allowing us to benefit from efficiencies in our content delivery infrastructure.”
The two companies enumerated some of the products that would feature Microsoft PlayReady and PIFF in order to allow Netflix subscribers instant access to the company’s TV and movie content, including: Internet TVs, Blu-ray disc players, home theater systems, video-game consoles, etc. Netflix revealed that a broad variety of consumer electronics manufacturers would offer devices, but did not mention any specific companies.
“Microsoft and Netflix have worked closely on the technologies enabling Netflix members to instantly watch movies — including PlayReady and Silverlight — since the initial planning of instant streaming from Netflix,” Andreas Mueller-Schubert, general manager of the Media Platforms Business at Microsoft, added. “By working with Netflix on this broader support for Microsoft PlayReady and PIFF, more people — using more devices — will enjoy the immediacy and choice that the pioneering service of Netflix delivers.”
UPDATE: Changed the wording in the first two paragraphs to improve clarity.
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