Netflix’s Retina Display iPad app update sets the stage for HD video

Netflix customers will soon be able to stream high-definition versions of movies and TV shows on their iPad, the company said via Twitter yesterday.

Netflix subscribers have been waiting for an update ever since news broke about Apple’s third-generation iPad, which features a new ultra-high resolution Retina Display. The combination of HD videos and the new iPad screen could make you think twice about watching a movie on an older TV set.

While we don’t have a precise date for the HD video availability, it’s likely to happen soon. Netflix yesterday rolled out an update to its iPad app, which features user interface tweaks, higher resolution movie/TV show artwork, and a handful of other bug fixes. The red navigation bar at the top of the screen is now visible at all times. I can’t say that I really bothered to use it much, but it makes sense for people who aren’t constantly messing with mobile apps (like my mom).

In addition to the visual improvements, the new iPad update includes bug fixes for VoiceOver and video playback when connecting to an external display.

As many long-time subscribers have noted over the past year, Netflix isn’t very enthusiastic about its DVD-by-mail rental business. Staying consistent with that behavior, the latest update removes the ability to rate DVDs directly from your iPad. Although, if you subscribe to a Netflix DVD plan, you probably aren’t concerned with watching movies on your tablet anyways.

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