Netflix is rolling out the mobile version of its own speed test tool fast.com on Android and iOS, putting up a viable alternative to Ookla's well-known Speedtest.net.
Right off the bat, it doesn't provide a detailed analysis of a user's internet performance such as ping, jitter and latency, so why use it? Well, according to the company, it's targeted at consumers who want to get accurate results via a simple-to-use interface.
"The idea behind fast.com is to provide a quick and simple way for any internet user to test their current internet speed, whether they are a Netflix member or not," Netflix says.
On top of that, it's designed to make sure that internet service providers aren't throttling the viewers' connection, which Netflix admitted to doing for AT&T and Verizon customers back in March.
Considering that even some mid-range smartphones nowadays sport 1080p displays, having a stable and fast connection is more or less a necessity, and getting an estimate of the speed is the first step in figuring out whether the device can stream high-quality videos seamlessly.
As everyone may know by now, Netflix launched fast.com back in May, and the layout is minimalistic — just a logo on top, the results in the center, a refresh or pause button on the right, a link to compare the outcome on Speedtest.net, an option to change the language and a button on the lower left that opens up the FAQ portion of the website.
Thanks to that simple arrangement, using the tool on the mobile is already A-OK, as there's no clutter to begin with. In other words, the release of these new apps are for the users who want a dedicated place that offers virtually the same interface as the Web version.
Netflix's fast.com is already up on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, and needless to say, they're free of charge. It requires at least an Android 4.0 or an iOS 7.0, and as mentioned earlier, users don't have to be members of the streaming platform to take advantage of it.
Have you been using fast.com before this development took place? If so, feel free to let us know your experience with it and whether or not you're going to download the new apps for the mobile.
