Netflix today announced that it has updated its streaming player inside the Netflix app for iOS devices. The asthetics of the player has been adjusted to look more like Netflix’s “browse experience.”

The new video player includes larger buttons and controls, making it easier for users to navigate and adjust streaming content on smaller screens. Thumbnail images will now be displayed when searching with the “scrub” bar, meaning a more precise search experience. An audio and subtitles menu button has been added next to the volume bar for easy access to those options. For Canadians, an easier “do not share” option is enabled for members who have connected their Netflix accounts to Facebook.

Netflix has also updated the settings for the player, and the app now has a setting that allows users to restrict streaming to only when a device is connected via Wi-Fi. This is a necessary option, given the fact that wireless carriers are now killing off their unlimited data plans.

The updated Netflix app is now available in Apple’s App Store and will work on any device, including iPhones, iPads, and iPods, that are running on iOS 4.2 or later. The Android version of the app has not yet been updated, though Netflix stated that a similar update for the Android streaming player will be coming in the near future.

(via Netflix blog)