Hulu Announces Android Smartphone Compatibility, Will Yahoo! Bite?

Internet video website Hulu wrote on its official blog Wednesday that smartphones running Google's GOOG Android software will now be able to access the company's Hulu Plus content. While the app is only available on six devices now - the Nexus One, Nexus S, HTC Inspire 4G, Motorola MOT Droid II, Motorola Droid X, and the Motorola Atrix - more devices will be compatible throughout the year. The free Hulu Plus app is available for download from Android Market, and $7.99/month subscribers can now join their Apple AAPL iPhone counterparts in enjoying Hulu Plus on the go. The announcement comes as Hulu is considering a potential sale of the company, the Wall Street Journal reported this week. Hulu is a joint venture between a number of big media companies and Providence Equity Partners, but has yet to turn a profit. Rumors have spread that Yahoo! YHOO is an interested buyer, but nothing has been confirmed. Yahoo! has been searching for a spark in recent years, as its strength in internet relevance has subsided. With well over $2 billion in cash and short-term investments on hand as of March 31, Yahoo! is capable of making a sizable cash/stock offer to Hulu. Investors have increasingly clamored for new profitability amid a sagging stock price, which has stagnated in the past two years. The question remains whether President and CEO Carol Bartz will make a move into the premium video content that Hulu offers. Yahoo! prides itself on being a digital media company, so the acquisition makes sense if the financials do. Hulu is available on a number of devices, including the internet-accessible TV, Xbox, computer, tablet, and smartphone. The service offers a number of popular shows, from Family Guy to Law and Order: SVU.