Netflix on Wednesday promised to release a product by the end of the year which will enable Mac users to use the service’s “Watch Instantly” feature.
Netflix is best known for its DVD rental service, which enables users to manage an online queue using a Web site. For a flat monthly rate, the company mails you DVDs or Blu-ray Discs, which you then watch and return without worrying about late fees.
But increasingly, Netflix is having to compete with online services like Apple’s iTunes Store, which lets users pay to rent movies online and stream them to a compatible device in their home, like an Apple TV. “Watch Instantly” lets users watch more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes online, using a computer or other compatible device. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work with a Mac.
Posting to the Netflix Blog, Netflix spokesman Brent added, “And, for all of you Mac users (of which I am one) we’ve been busy working getting a solution that will allow you to watch instantly on your Mac. So hang in there – we’ll have something for you by the end of the year.”
For the moment, Netflix’s service remains squarely in the realm of PCs and compatible hardware. Those devices include the Netflix Player by Roku, LG’s forthcoming BD300 Blu-ray Network Player, or the Xbox 360 video game console, which Netflix says should be able to work with their streaming service later this fall.
Also announced is a new agreement with Starz Play, the broadband entertainment service from premium cable channel provider Starz. The agreement instantly adds about 1,000 new video choices for Netflix customers, with another 1,500 expected by the end of the year. New movies Netflix users can watch include “No Country for Old Men,” Disney/Pixar’s “Ratatouille,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” “Superbad and many more.