Netflix, the US video streaming service, is to launch as an Android app – but the firm has limited the number of Android-based smartphones it will initially support. Although the app is available via the Android Market store, it is supported on just five devices at launch: the HTC Incredible (Android 2.2), the HTC Nexus One (2.2 and 2.3), the HTC Evo 4G (2.2), the HTC G2 (2.2) and the Samsung Nexus S (2.3).

In a blog post, Netflix Product Manager Roma De justified the decision just to support a handful of devices on technical grounds. “Because the platform has evolved so rapidly, there are some significant challenges associated with developing a streaming video application for this ecosystem,” he said. “One of these challenges is the lack of standard streaming playback features that the Netflix application can use to gain broad penetration across all available Android phones.”

This lack of standardisation means that Netflix is required to test each individual handset and launch only on those that can support playback, De says. “We are aggressively qualifying phones and look forward to expanding the list of phones on which the Netflix app will be supported,” he added. “We anticipate that many of these technical challenges will be resolved in the coming months and that we will be able to provide a Netflix application that will work on a large majority of Android phones.”

According to a GigaOm report, fragmentation has been a big issue for developers trying to reach the Android platform, specifically for video applications that need to ensure high-quality playback and content protection. Netflix has been working on developing for Android since at least last year but, without standardised DRM, it has had to work with individual handset manufacturers to ensure streams are secure, the report says. Netflix is already available as an iPad app in the US.