If you are using a rooted Android handset, Netflix will no longer appear on your phone's Google Play Store.

This has been confirmed by a spokesperson of the video-on-demand service, who explained that any device that is "not Google-certified or [has] been altered" will not be compatible with the Android app.

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This announcement was made simultaneously with the release of the latest version of the video streaming app. 

According to Netflix, the main reason for the update is to address the issue of piracy, which has been a major problem for the company since the app was released on Google Play Store.

The latest Netflix app - version 5.0 - is powered by technology developed by Widevine, another Google-owned company that is combating piracy by promoting digital rights management among its clients.

"With our latest 5.0 release, we now fully rely on the Widevine DRM provided by Google; therefore, many devices that are not Google-certified or have been altered will no longer work with our latest app and those users will no longer see the Netflix app in the Play Store," the Netflix spokesperson said.

As a strategy to further expand its client base, Netflix now allows its subscribers to download TV shows and movies for offline viewing using the Google Play Store app.

On the downside, this move has created more problems for the company, as it is easier to take down copy protection from a downloaded Netflix series than to do the same while the video is streaming.

Meanwhile, there are also those who think this measure might not be the best way to fight video piracy head-on as it could also affect "well-meaning viewers." 

The good news is that despite Netflix' announcement that the app "will no longer work with modified Android devices," users can still run the app if they manage to successfully install it on their phones.

Netflix viewers must keep in mind that the Google Play Store listing seems to be dependent on whether you're cleared to run Android Pay, not Widevine.