Latest Netflix app doesn't want to play with rooted devices

[HEXUS]

Users of 'modified' devices can't get the app directly from the Google Play Store anymore.

Read more.

[jimbouk]

So because my device is a couple of years old and no longer supported - to get important security updates I have to root 'n' ROM it, but by doing so I can't get up-to-date apps :-/

[Ozaron]

So because my device is a couple of years old and no longer supported - to get important security updates I have to root 'n' ROM it, but by doing so I can't get up-to-date apps :-/

Ready to spend hard earned money to buy back into the Android environment? All in the name of destroying those pesky evil pirates, of course. Monetary gain just a side effect...

[LSG501]

It's almost like companies don't want people to use their services....and they wonder why people still end up going to get torrents and the likes....it's probably because they don't get stuck behind asinine restrictions.

There's more than just 'pirating' things that can benefit from root access (security software like cerberus for the phone for example).

Then there's the obvious issue of updates where we need to root our to install custom roms (this is android after all) because of either wanting a custom install or just to get the newest version because the manufacturer won't or are taking ages to update the software.

[nacasatu]

Final nail in the coffin for me to be honest.
Cancelled Netflix.

This is what happens when idiots push their stupid rules and restrictions on to what were otherwise happy customers, those customers, like me, will revert back to dubious sources where no restrictions exist.
Yet here I was, happily willing to pay for what I received until you (Netflix) made that difficult and restrictive again, for no known legit reason, punishing customers for being faithful.

Netflix is dead to me now, I'd never even remotely consider becoming a customer again or paying for content EVER again on any other service. Once bitten and all that.

Back to the dodgy box.

[dannyboy75]

I never got the whole fuss with Netflix in the first place. Trialled it last year, but was totally underwhelmed by the content. Not my bag at all.

[jimbouk]

Oh yeah, and thanks for the link Mark Tyson/Hexus. Downloaded and installed fine, works without issues as you say!

[aniilv]

im sure since its a popular app like netflix there will be workaround... its rooted devices after all and you can bypass anything

its like piracy, really, except you also have to pay

[Dashers]

I haven't been rooted for years (because my current phone loses it's fancy camera tech if you root, joy), but when I used Cyanogenmod you used to be able to turn root on/off. Is that not a thing any more? Wouldn't that allow you to install it still?

[DaMoot]

The amount of whining is so amusing. "I cancelled my subscription" and "Netflix doesn't want people to use their service" are statements so ridiculous it's a wonder if anyone really expects them to be taken seriously. At this point it's not often a device really needs to be rooted anyways. Even Verizon phones are pretty minimalist these days.

Short short of it is you chose to modify your device and operating system in a way not supported by the manufacturer. As a modder myself the concept of modding my rubbishrubbishrubbishrubbish and then whining that a given app or service didn't work on it is baffling to me. You mod at your own risk. Grow up.

[jimbouk]

Short short of it is you chose to modify your device and operating system in a way not supported by the manufacturer. As a modder myself the concept of modding my rubbishrubbishrubbishrubbish and then whining that a given app or service didn't work on it is baffling to me. You mod at your own risk. Grow up.

Welcome to our friendly online tech community. Please help yourself to a virtual biscuit and join in with the polite and informed discussions.

[Dashers]

It's not modding though, and you're not asking for support from the device manufacturer. You're being explicitly blocked for having administrative rights on your own computer.

Installing a different build of the same operating system on your computer (which a smartphone is), is not modding. If you installed Windows Phone on an Android device and expected Play store to work, then you'd have an argument, but no, this is running Android software on Android and being denied by policy rather than anything else. I don't think people would even care much if they could install with a disclaimer that they won't get any support "Sorry sir, we don't support your platform, you're on your own" is better than "no, not allowing you, keep giving us your money though".

[peterb]

It depends how you view the phone. If you regard it as a product that happens to use embedded software to operate (like a TV for example) the changing that software is definitely a modification - in much the same way as changing the engine on you car for a different one would be a modification) and if Netflix (for whatever reason) decide not to allow it to run, that is up to them. They may be concerned about performance issues with software they haven't tested, or they may be concerned about security.

If you regard your phone as a mobile computer, then there is some merit in the argument that you can tweak the OS, but generally phones are sold as products with software to make it operate. Tweak it at your own risk, but don't complain if some software won't work, for whatever reason.

[jimbouk]

Certainly not a black and white issue agreed!

I guess coming from the 'older school' I do expect a certain level of "computerness" from my smartphone - the flexibility to uninstall applications and install the latest OS versions with security patches - something sadly missing when device manufacturers and operators mess around with Android too much for the worse.

If I were to change mindsets to my phone being a disposable black box then I'd need better guarantees from manufacturers about supported lifetimes of devices. My phone is 3 1/2 years old. There's nothing technically stopping it running the latest android, I know as it is, but it's long been abandoned now the 5th generation of it has been released. Manufactures have no incentive to support devices rather than sell you a new one, it doesn't put the consumer in a good place.

I think my device is not rooted, but does have the bootloader unlocked. This is enough to fall foul of the 'not Google-certified' clause and not to be shown as a supported device. It still runs fine so the Widevine DRM must still be working. There approach is sending me away from the Play store to get their app, perhaps like Motorola did when you unlock the bootloader (message saying it's no longer supported) would be wiser than removing access.

[LSG501]

If you regard your phone as a mobile computer, then there is some merit in the argument that you can tweak the OS, but generally phones are sold as products with software to make it operate. Tweak it at your own risk, but don't complain if some software won't work, for whatever reason.

But as I said in my post there are reasons that some of us need to root our phones...

My current phone, which still works fine, isn't getting updated by Motorola anymore yet I can get a lineageOS (cyanogenmod as it was called) build that is more up to date, to get that I need to root. Same goes for my nexus 7 (2012) where I basically need to roll back the os (still got to do it but I'm lazy and rarely use it) so that I get a decent experience on the device. Now I haven't felt the need to do that yet I may in the future and while you can still re-enable root it also appears that unlocking the bootloader is enough to stop the netflix app from working...

If i was to install cerberus lost/stolen phone protection on my phone, because lets be honest the built in android one is pretty poor, I get the best protection if I allow it to have root access so it can 'hide the install' so it can't be removed by a format etc.

[peterb]

But as I said in my post there are reasons that some of us need to root our phones...

My current phone, which still works fine, isn't getting updated by Motorola anymore yet I can get a lineageOS (cyanogenmod as it was called) build that is more up to date, to get that I need to root. Same goes for my nexus 7 (2012) where I basically need to roll back the os (still got to do it but I'm lazy and rarely use it) so that I get a decent experience on the device. Now I haven't felt the need to do that yet I may in the future and while you can still re-enable root it also appears that unlocking the bootloader is enough to stop the netflix app from working...

If i was to install cerberus lost/stolen phone protection on my phone, because lets be honest the built in android one is pretty poor, I get the best protection if I allow it to have root access so it can 'hide the install' so it can't be removed by a format etc.

And that's a decision you have made, in the same way Netflix have made their decision. You may find that many of the online banking applications won't run on a rooted phone, because of theNecurity issues, but if that doesn't bother you, no problem. If it does, you need to decide which is more important.