Netflix Blocked on Rooted and Unlocked Android Devices

[MrTryfe]

LOL...and this comes right after I found out how to get Netflix to run on a res higher than 480p on my rooted Galaxy tablet. Wow.

 

[david_]

Easily spoofed. Although, now that I can buy phones running vanilla Android, I don't root. Too much hassle.

 

[Vermillion]

How is this any worse than using Netflix on a computer?

It's not, but that hole will disappear soon too. Why do you think 4K Netflix requires Edge and Windows 10? It's because of the DRM built in.

And root of the problem is MPAA and RIAA which point to Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)

This is it exactly. All the butt hurt over the weekend from this and people consistently get it wrong. Do you really think Netflix cares if your phone is rooted? Of course they don't. They do care about having access to the content that they need to make money. When a company like Warner Brothers, MGM, Lionsgate or Disney comes to Netflix and say, "lock it down or lose our content", what do you think Netflix is going to do? This isn't rocket science. The teeny tiny amount of users Netflix may lose because they had to do this mean absolutely nothing to them.

As noted, basically sideloading the app works without issues, and some devices - even though they're rooted - still work so, I don't see this as a big issue at all really.

Anyone that knows enough to get their device rooted knows how to get around such bullshit anyway, if not then they shouldn't have bothered to root the device in the first place.

Things like Magisk don't work to prevent this. Hopefully, Netflix doesn't have to go as far as blocking out users who sideload ,but I certainly wouldn't be surprised if it happens.

Wow haven't bothered to root a phone for over four years now. The benefits just aren't there for me anymore.

I agree with that. I have no reason to root anymore. I couldn't root right now if I wanted to anyways. My company uses VMware Airwatch for e-mail. If root is detected the phone is considered "compromised" and e-mail access if denied.

 

[GotNoRice]

Do you really think Netflix cares if your phone is rooted? Of course they don't. They do care about having access to the content that they need to make money. When a company like Warner Brothers, MGM, Lionsgate or Disney comes to Netflix and say, "lock it down or lose our content", what do you think Netflix is going to do? This isn't rocket science. The teeny tiny amount of users Netflix may lose because they had to do this mean absolutely nothing to them.

So you are implying that we should be sympathetic to Netflix because they let the movie studios push them around and fuck over customers? This is the reason why Netflix started creating so much of their own content in the first place, so that eventually they would get popular enough to be a bargaining chip of their own, and where movie studios would want their content on Netflix. Now they are taking a step backward. It might be a relatively "tiny" amount of users affected by each viewing method that they disallow, but it's important to keep in mind that these same people tend to be trend-setters and in many cases have dozens of people who ask them for advice on tech-related issues, etc. Not respecting these users, the future of Netflix will play out like MySpace.

 

[Vermillion]

So you are implying that we should be sympathetic to Netflix because they let the movie studios push them around and fuck over customers? This is the reason why Netflix started creating so much of their own content in the first place, so that eventually they would get popular enough to be a bargaining chip of their own, and where movie studios would want their content on Netflix. Now they are taking a step backward. It might be a relatively "tiny" amount of users affected by each viewing method that they disallow, but it's important to keep in mind that these same people tend to be trend-setters and in many cases have dozens of people who ask them for advice on tech-related issues, etc. Not respecting these users, the future of Netflix will play out like MySpace.

I didn't imply anything. I simply stated facts. People want to bust on Netflix for this and they're attacking the wrong group. Netflix has ZERO sway over the big boys and they will NEVER have any sway. Do you really think Netflix wants too tell someone like Disney to fuck off? Hell no. They want the Marvel movies. They want the Star Wars TV shows like Rebels and Clone Wars. They want the Disney animated movies. If Netflix told Disney to piss off Disney would just go to Amazon or do it themselves. They already have the infrastructure because they do it with their TV shows now with apps for Disney XD and Disney Junior.

You're argument also falls flat on it's face:

"Hey, what do you think about Netflix?"
"They're the devil. They won't let you root your device."
"What's root?"
"blah blah blah root blah blah blah"
"but they have this TV show and this TV show on it right?"
"yes"
"OK, thanks." *goes and signs up for Netflix*

The tiny Android population that roots is a trend-setter? If that's the case then the OEMs must be catering to the trend setters right? How's gaining root going for Samsung Galaxy S8? How's the bootloader unlock for the Galaxy S7 coming along? Do the LG phones have fastboot commands again yet? Yeah, I didn't think so.

The only trend the root community has ever set is a majority of them are thought of as whiny entitled bitches.

 

[Ryokurin]

I think it's sad that everyone is blaming Netflix and not Widevine which is made by Google.

 

[GotNoRice]

People want to bust on Netflix for this and they're attacking the wrong group.

Netflix is responible for the decisions that they make, including bowing down to Hollywood studios.

Netflix has ZERO sway over the big boys and they will NEVER have any sway.

They have a lot more sway now than they did when they were a startup, and they've managed to get themselves this far. The same people who are cord-cutting in mass are the same people who have no interest in signing up for 10 different streaming services just because each studio wants their own.

You're argument also falls flat on it's face:

"Hey, what do you think about Netflix?"
"They're the devil. They won't let you root your device."
"What's root?"
"blah blah blah root blah blah blah"
"but they have this TV show and this TV show on it right?"
"yes"
"OK, thanks." *goes and signs up for Netflix*

lol? More like:

"Hey, check out this Netflix competitor"
"OK"

The tiny Android population that roots is a trend-setter? If that's the case then the OEMs must be catering to the trend setters right? How's gaining root going for Samsung Galaxy S8? How's the bootloader unlock for the Galaxy S7 coming along? Do the LG phones have fastboot commands again yet? Yeah, I didn't think so.

The only trend the root community has ever set is a majority of them are thought of as whiny entitled bitches.

What I actually said did not focus specifically on people who root their phones, but in general, on people burned by stricter and stricter viewing restrictions. Wasn't it you just a few posts ago saying that the computer "hole" will be closed soon and how 4k already has such tight viewing restrictions? Selective memory on your part?

 

[Vermillion]

Netflix is responible for the decisions that they make, including bowing down to Hollywood studios.



They have a lot more sway now than they did when they were a startup, and they've managed to get themselves this far. The same people who are cord-cutting in mass are the same people who have no interest in signing up for 10 different streaming services just because each studio wants their own.

They have zero sway. If you think for a minute any of the big boys give two shits about whether or not their content is on Netflix you're giving Netflix way too much credit. Netflix is a convenience for them. Nothing more. If they feel they could do better they'll just do what HBO did. Release their own app and roll with it.

lol? More like:

"Hey, check out this Netflix competitor"
"OK"

"Does the competitor have House of Cards? Daredevil? Orange is the new Black? NO? OK, then Netflix it is."

Hulu didn't go under as people claimed they would when they introduced the different paid tiers and ads. People happily paid more for no ads or they decided to deal with a few ads. People just want to watch what they want to watch. People will go where the content is as long as the price is right. They don't care if it's 3 or 4 or 5 apps. They'll do whatever it takes to watch what they want.

Joe Average doesn't care about DRM as long as they get their content. Joe Average isn't rooting their phone. Joe Average is instead just watching their Netflix shows instead of bitching about something Netflix has zero control over.

What I actually said did not focus specifically on people who root their phones, but in general, on people burned by stricter and stricter viewing restrictions. Wasn't it you just a few posts ago saying that the computer "hole" will be closed soon and how 4k already has such tight viewing restrictions? Selective memory on your part?

I never complained about Netflix and 4K with Windows 10 and Edge. It's no different than what they're doing now to Android or smart TVs. If you don't think there isn't DRM built into a SmartTV from Samsung you're fooling yourself.

I fully expect Netflix to work with Microsoft to try to build a DRM to protect 4K content on Windows. I understand why they're doing it. I don't agree with DRM (we all know how effective it really is) but I understand the push for it. I also understand that it isn't Netflix requiring this. There's a difference between understanding and mindlessly hating.

 

[GotNoRice]

They have zero sway. If you think for a minute any of the big boys give two shits about whether or not their content is on Netflix you're giving Netflix way too much credit. Netflix is a convenience for them. Nothing more. If they feel they could do better they'll just do what HBO did. Release their own app and roll with it

People will go where the content is as long as the price is right. They don't care if it's 3 or 4 or 5 apps. They'll do whatever it takes to watch what they want.

If the studio is big enough and has enough content of their own, like HBO, that might work but there is a point of diminishing returns. No one wants to pay for more than a few streaming services and studies have been very clear about this.

"Does the competitor have House of Cards? Daredevil? Orange is the new Black? NO? OK, then Netflix it is."

The first people to start using Facebook didn't instantly give up their MySpace accounts either. Still didn't work out well for MySpace in the end.

 

[faugusztin]

Stock Android = walled garden? BAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHA

From perspective of trust of DRM providers, or let's say banking industry - yes. It means there is no app running monitoring your network transfers, or GPU memory etc. Bunch of banking apps refuse to work on rooted phones. Google pay refuses to work on rooted phones too.

From their pespective, it is simply an untrusted enviroment, and it is their choice if they want to offer their services on untrusted enviroment.

 

[savagepagan]

Just download the apk from APK4fun and sideload it using any file manager.

 

[Kamber]

Eff Netflix!

 

[choppedliver]

So my phone is rooted. I don't watch netflix on my phone, I use my phone to cast netflix to my tv.
So netflix, you gonna stop me from using it as a remote control for your app I pay for, to cast to my google chromecast device I paid for?
I rooted mine, because... the reason is none of your business ...but has nothing to do with piracy.