I mentioned yesterday that Sharp’s network-TV platform, Aquos Net, wasn’t robust in comparison to the offerings Vizio’s connected sets will soon have. Sony’s Bravia Internet Video platform also started out as similarly anemic, but lately it’s added better streaming-media options, like Amazon Video On Demand for movies and Slacker for audio, and latched onto Yahoo’s widget platform for additional Internet apps.
Now the company is the latest to add Netflix’s on-demand video service to its collection of networked apps. Coming this fall, those who own a network-capable Bravia set or one that has the Bravia Internet Video Link add-on module can access Netflix’s growing library of streaming films and TV shows (though it stills pales next to the company’s DVD rental offerings). I’m still waiting for Netflix to offer up a monthly subscription exclusively for the Internet service; in the meantime, you need to already be a Netflix subscriber with a plan costing $8.99 or up in order to use the online service. With the growing number of networked TVs that have Netflix as an option, an Internet-only subscription plan is coming sooner or later, right?
