On-line video service YouTube has just released a mobile application for Windows Mobile and some Symbian devices. The app is completely free, and can be downloaded from http://m.youtube.com.
This app has been released alongside the “mobile friendly” version of YouTube that mobile devices automatically browse. YouTube claims the app will load video 90% faster than a mobile browser can.
Features:
Simplified search and navigation
Search by keyword
Selection after search
Lists of the top rated, most viewed, or most recent videos
Full-screen mode
From the YouTube blog:
“Our goal is to provide you with a great YouTube experience wherever you want to watch videos — whether it’s on your computer, on your television, or on your mobile phone. While YouTube has been available for many mobile phones for over a year, today we’re taking a big step forward with a new version of our mobile YouTube application.”
What we think?
To be honest, I’m not sure what YouTube intends to achieve with this release. This is potentially a really big app – YouTube is one of the most popular sites in the world, and being able to almost double it’s speed is no mean feat. You would think that this app would have seen a well-publicised release across every single platform available. But no, it practically sneaks out, limited to just Windows Mobile and Symbian devices in the S60 series. I wonder if this signifies YouTube’s overall attitude towards mobile apps? As the proliferation of mobile internet browsers bring us closer and closer to the on-line experience, apps and widgets will have a lesser place in the mobile web. The throw away release of this app makes me think YouTube knows which side it’s bread is buttered on.
