If you have a Rooted Android device, chances are you won’t be able to see the Netflix app on the Google Play Store. This is because the streaming giant decided to block rooted and bootloader-unlocked Android devices from downloading its app.
This move by Netflix is perhaps to protect its copyrighted content and wants to prevent advanced Android users from tricking the app of their real location to access content for a specific market.
The company is using Google’s Wildvine DRM to block rooted devices from downloading the app from the Play Store.
Bad news for rooted devices
Android users may decide to root their smartphones and tablets just to be able to take full control of their devices. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are looking to do illegal activities once they have root access.
A rooted Android device has several more features than a stock Android would have, such as a customizable status bar and the ability to uninstall bloatware and to overclock or underclock its CPU for maximum battery performance. It’s interesting to see whether it’s worth rooting an Android device if it means being blocked from downloading the Netflix app.
New generation of Android devices
Several years ago, it may have been more beneficial for Android users to root their device to take full control of their smartphones or tablets. However, today’s Android devices offer much more customizable options, so much so that root access is no longer needed. Android manufacturers now allow users the freedom to customize the status bar as well as the navigational bar, depending on the smartphone manufacturer.
Netflix will still run on rooted devices
For now, rooted Android users may still use the Netflix app if it’s already downloaded on their device prior to the company's using Google’s Wildvine DRM.
Users are still also able to download the Netflix app from APK Pure on a PC.
Once downloaded, users only have to sideload the app and install it on the device. This won’t be too difficult, considering rooting a device is far more complicated than sideloading an app.
Downloading Android apps from other than the Play Store is not illegal as long as the app is free. Once installed, the app should run as it’s supposed to, as Netflix only blocks users from downloading the app.
What do you think of Netflix blocking its app from rooted devices? Do you also have root access on your Android device? Let us know in the comments section below.