News

Netflix blocks access to rooted Android phones

Netflix confirms blocking access to rooted Android phones. That means you can’t install it from the Google Playstore anymore.

Netflix blocks rooted/modified phones

This makes sense for Netflix actually. For a service that relies on subscriptions, piracy certainly can put a dent on its subscriber base.  Now that you can download and keep offline videos, having a rooted Android phone could technically allow you access to the video files which could lead to piracy.

Here’s the official statement:

With our latest 5.0 release, we now fully rely on the Widevine DRM provided by Google; therefore, many devices that are not Google-certified or have been altered will no longer work with our latest app and those users will no longer see the Netflix app in the Play Store.

Windvine is Google’s digital rights management (DRM) to prevent piracy. Its a policy that works across various desktop and mobile platforms.

According to the source though, they still got Netflix to work via sideloading. So if your device is blocked, this is one option you can use.

For more geek-centric news and reviews, please follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/TechnoBaboy), YouTube (TechnoBryan), Twitter (@technobaboy), and Instagram (technobryan). We’ll do our best to keep you up-to-date.

[source: Android Police]

Bryan is a geek at heart and a tech enthusiast by choice. He has a strong background in corporate communications, marketing services, and customer relations having worked in the telecommunications and banking sectors for over two decades. In his spare time, he enjoys watching clips on YouTube and binge watching shows on Netflix.

Write A Comment