Today Netflix announced an app that allows Netflix users to stream Netflix Instant content on their iPhone or iPod Touch devices. A similar app was already available for the iPad, but has now been re-jiggered for the smaller screens. There has only been moderate excitement about this online, but I personally am ecstatic.

About a year ago, I cancelled both my cable and internet in my apartment. Although living without the internet at first seemed impossible, it has been remarkably simple. Most of the casual surfing that I did on my laptop I can do on my iPhone, and any heavy computing I can do on my work computer before going home for the night.

I started spending time on other leisurely pursuits such as riding my bike, reading, and talking to real people. That has been moderately amusing. I have learned to wait for my iPhone’s 3G to load, and to navigate away from sites that require flash. However, to me the biggest down side is a lack of much-needed mindless entertainment – the kind I need when I can’t sleep or when I am lonely on the weekends. I would be willing to watch it on my iPhone, but there really wasn’t any way that I could do that barring a Hulu Plus invite and subscription.

But today Netflix announced that Netflix Instant movies are available on the iPhone and iPod touch through 3G (iPhone, not iPod touch of course) and wifi. I think they are a match made in heaven. Since the Netflix Instant catalog is so limited, it is only for casual viewing. (Although I appreciate the extensive lineup of Magnum PI episodes available through Netflix Instant, I would hardly consider it truly competitive.) Since the iPhone’s screen is so small, it is for casual viewing as well. No one is going to watch 2 hours and 42 minutes of Avatar on a 4-inch screen.

So what the announcement brings is casual viewing content to a casual viewing device. Sounds perfect to me. What do you think – will you watch movies on your iPhone?

Image courtesy of CrunchGear