• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, February 14, 2011

Qualcomm said Monday that future Android-powered devices equipped with its Snapdragon chipsets will have access to instant streaming of TV shows and movies from Netflix. The company already offers apps for the iPhone and iPad as well as Windows Phone 7 devices, but to date hasn't been available on Android.

The move could give Netflix's mobile audience a big boost since Android has become the world's top-selling smartphone platform, according to recent data from research firm Canalys. The growth of both smartphones and tablets dovetails with Netflix's expectation that customers will increasingly watch movies and shows through the Internet rather than on DVDs. The Qualcomm announcement at the Mobile World Congress helped push up Netflix's stock price about 6% about $244 on Monday afternoon.