Qualcomm’s app-based media shifting service, Skifta, has become the first application to be certified by the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) under its new Software Certification program. Skifta enables users to access and play their digital media from virtually any source, and then stream this media to any DNLA-compliant device, such as a TV for example, via their Android smartphones and tablets. The certification gives Android users the added assurance that digital music, photos and videos from the phone and around the connected home can be streamed easily to DLNA-certified products at home or on the go.

“We are proud that the Skifta Android application has become the first DLNA-certified software application,” says Bruce Jackson, vice president of technology at Qualcomm. “The Skifta application demonstrates our commitment to DLNA and to making the smartphone central to the connected home and lifestyle. The Skifta application creates the potential for tens of millions of smartphones and tablets to run DLNA-certified software and stream multimedia content reliably to devices around the home.”

Analysts estimate that there will be nearly 2bn DLNA-vertified devices in homes worldwide by 2014, and some expect that DLNA software certification will propel adoption and usage of DLNA devices on consumers’ home networks. The Skifta app takes advantage of the rapid adoption of DLNA-enabled devices, the growing desire for on-demand streaming media, and the rapid proliferation of smartphones to deliver an easy-to-use service for taking your digital media with you, without actually having to take it with you.

The Skifta app is available as a free download in Android Market for smartphones running Android version 2.2 and higher.