Netflix confirms UK launch

US online video rental service Netflix has confirmed that it will launch in the UK and Ireland early next year.

CEO Reed Hastings told the New York Times last week that the firm needed to “take a few deep breaths and not move as quickly” following a dramatic u-turn on plans to spin-off its DVD business.

But Netflix today said in a brief statement that it will debut in the UK and Ireland in “early 2012”.

There were no further details other than the promise that users would be able to instantly watch a wide array of television shows and films via internet connected TVs, computers, tablet devices and mobile phones.

“Further details about the service, including pricing, content and supported devices, will be announced closer to launch,” the company said.

Confirmation of the move, which had been expected following expansion into Canada and Latin America, comes weeks after Netflix reps including chief content officer Ted Sarandos visited Mipcom for the first time to buy up rights to a raft of European programming.

It also comes as competition in the UK intensifies, with YouTube launching its own movie rental service in the territory earlier this month, while former Joost founder Janus Friis last week confirmed that he was returning to the video space with a new service called Vdio, due to debut in the UK.

Both are going up against market leader LoveFilm, which was bought out by Amazon at the start of 2011, and BlinkBox, in which Tesco took a majority stake in April. Rival supermarket Sainsbury has also recently signalled its intent to become a more active player, buying out its entertainment e-commerce partner earlier this month.

Netflix is also expected to launch in Spain early next year but there was no confirmation of that today. The announcement of the UK launch comes ahead of the company’s third quarter financial results later today.