Apple's iPhone to wirelessly stream YouTube content

[AppleInsider]

Apple said Wednesday that its eagerly awaited iPhone will allow users to enjoy YouTube’s originally-created content when it begins shipping on June 29.

A new Apple-designed application on iPhone will wirelessly stream YouTube’s content to iPhone over Wi-Fi or EDGE networks and play it on the devices 3.5 inch display, the Cupertino-based company said in a statement.

To achieve higher video quality and longer battery life on mobile devices, YouTube has begun encoding their videos in the advanced H.264 format, and iPhone will be the first mobile device to use the H.264-encoded videos.

“iPhone delivers the best YouTube mobile experience by far,” said Apple chief executive Steve Jobs. “Now users can enjoy YouTube wherever they are—on their iPhone, on their Mac or on a widescreen TV in their living room with Apple TV.”

Over 10,000 videos will be available on June 29, and YouTube will be adding more each week until their full catalog of videos is available in the H.264 format this fall.

iPhone will include the Apple-designed YouTube application when it goes on sale in the US on June 29. The Apple handset will be available in a 4GB model for $499 (US) and an 8GB model for $599 (US) through Apple’s retail and online stores, and through AT&T’s retail stores.



YouTube now on Apple TV

Apple also said Wednesday that YouTube is now live on Apple TV. Owners of the $299 streaming media hub can download the free update via the device's built-in software update feature located under the "Settings" menu.

AppleInsider has published a photo gallery of the update process.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[solipsism]

Excellent!

Now we need savvy developers to create a program that will grab (from your home Mac) newly downloaded videos from your torrents, split the files into 10 minute segments, upload to YouTube and make it private for personal viewing on your iPhone.

Or, send an specialized email to your home Mac that will auto grab a previously saved video and do exactly what I specified above.


PS: And before anyone thinks this could be a last minute decision by Apple, if you recall that extra icon I mentioned after the new commercials came out, well, it looks like we now have the answer.

[nvidia2008]

Dumb question, when I try to update my AppleTV using the remote and wirelessly connected to the Intarweb, I can't see any YouTube stuff. ...Trailers and stuff okay, no YouTube

[macfly]

so how does one search for content on the apple TV?
does this mean you can now plug in a keyboard and type ?
or is it just somehow browsing?

[Atlas]

This makes me even more excited about the iPhone. Now I can carry less videos on my phone and more music ^_^

[AWAL]

soo when's the AppleTV YouTube update coming?

[sandau]

Originally Posted by AWAL

soo when's the AppleTV YouTube update coming?

its here. turn on your apple tv and go update the software in the settings.

[anantksundaram]

W.O.W.

This is truly big. Throw in Skype too at some point..... please!?

[BlackSummerNight]

Why in the name of all that's sane is this something to be excited about. If I have a WiFi enabled phone, with a so called "FULL Browser", and with Youtube support, why wouldn't I be able to stream video.

[jido]

Please correct:

Apple said Wednesday that its eagerly awaited iPhone

Thanks!

Edit: correction done :-)

[eAi]

You can see what Apple are doing here - they're releasing features and press releases every few days to keep the iPhone in the news... Clever

[BlackSummerNight]

You should be able to use Skype soon. Someone will write Skype for iPhone soon. REAL SOON.

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

W.O.W.

This is truly big. Throw in Skype too at some point..... please!?

[solsun]

Originally Posted by nvidia2008

Dumb question, when I try to update my AppleTV using the remote and wirelessly connected to the Intarweb, I can't see any YouTube stuff. ...Trailers and stuff okay, no YouTube

Same thing here.. The update didn't work.. After downloading, Apple TV restarted but is still running software version 1.0. I'm trying it a second time now.

[jdmlight]

Originally Posted by BlackSummerNight

Why in the name of all that's sane is this something to be excited about. If I have a WiFi enabled phone, with a so called "FULL Browser", and with Youtube support, why wouldn't I be able to stream video.

Because if YouTube hadn't started converting their videos to H.264, they would still be in Flash format - which the iPhone can't play. Plus, I'm sure a dedicated application designed for a small screen is easier to use than a website designed for a bigger screen.

[allstaruk]

Originally Posted by jido

Please correct:

Thanks!

There's no spelling mistake here.

[artse]

Originally Posted by solsun

Same thing here.. The update didn't work.. After downloading, Apple TV restarted but is still running software version 1.0. I'm trying it a second time now.

There's 2 steps: After the download, did you select Update... I don't remember the exact words.

[BlackSummerNight]

**SLAPS FOREHEAD** I forgot about the no flash support.

Originally Posted by jdmlight

Because if YouTube hadn't started converting their videos to H.264, they would still be in Flash format - which the iPhone can't play. Plus, I'm sure a dedicated application designed for a small screen is easier to use than a website designed for a bigger screen.

[allstaruk]

Oh - apologies...

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by allstaruk

There's no spelling mistake here.

I was puzzled too, but that is because the poster corrected it. The part in the story is wrong. Here is the part in the story:

Apple said Wednesday that it's eagerly awaited iPhone

[solsun]

Originally Posted by artse

There's 2 steps: After the download, did you select Update... I don't remember the exact words.

Yes, I did both steps... The exact words were "update now" or "update later."

However, after repeating the whole process a second time, it is now working... The servers are probably just overloaded.

[caliminius]

Originally Posted by jdmlight

Because if YouTube hadn't started converting their videos to H.264, they would still be in Flash format - which the iPhone can't play. Plus, I'm sure a dedicated application designed for a small screen is easier to use than a website designed for a bigger screen.

I might too generous in my interpretation, buy I think he was more getting at the idea that Apple is claiming the iPhone provides the "full web" experience yet doesn't (as fas as is known) support Flash. At work, Flash isn't installed and I've stumbled upon numerous sites that don't function fully without it. Likewise, at home on my Mac, I've stumbled upon numerous sites that don't play well with Safari. Put those two together and you're going to have a less than stellar web experience on the iPhone.

Note to Apple: Why don't you quit wasting time helping YouTube re-encode their videos, and instead spend time re-encoding the iTunes Store video content in 720p so there's a reason to actually buy the AppleTV?

[joeYYY]

So this is the mysterious 12th iPhone app that folks were talking about after analyzing one of the iPhone adds. Am I right?

Its intersting that this app was also introduced for AppleTV. I wouldn't be surprised that in most cases an app written for one produce could work on the other.

Who knows maybe the next app will be a mobile ITNS (or for AppleTV the ability to buy directly from ITNS).

[artse]

Originally Posted by caliminius

Note to Apple: Why don't you quit wasting time helping YouTube re-encode their videos, and instead spend time re-encoding the iTunes Store video content in 720p so there's a reason to actually buy the AppleTV?

Amen!

[BlackSummerNight]

They should have a way to download directly from iTunes music store to the phone.

[solsun]

Originally Posted by caliminius

Note to Apple: Why don't you quit wasting time helping YouTube re-encode their videos, and instead spend time re-encoding the iTunes Store video content in 720p so there's a reason to actually buy the AppleTV?

The problem is not Apple not wanting to upgrade the content, the problem is reaching an agreement with the content providers (ie the tv networks and Hollywood studios) which will allow them to sell HD content.. Apple doesn't own the content in the iTunes store, they are licensing it. Licensing HD content is a whole different deal.

[BlackSummerNight]

None of the games from aol.com ( which has some great poker games) work with my Mac.

Originally Posted by caliminius

I might too generous in my interpretation, buy I think he was more getting at the idea that Apple is claiming the iPhone provides the "full web" experience yet doesn't (as fas as is known) support Flash. At work, Flash isn't installed and I've stumbled upon numerous sites that don't function fully without it. Likewise, at home on my Mac, I've stumbled upon numerous sites that don't play well with Safari. Put those two together and you're going to have a less than stellar web experience on the iPhone.

Note to Apple: Why don't you quit wasting time helping YouTube re-encode their videos, and instead spend time re-encoding the iTunes Store video content in 720p so there's a reason to actually buy the AppleTV?

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by caliminius

I might too generous in my interpretation, buy I think he was more getting at the idea that Apple is claiming the iPhone provides the "full web" experience yet doesn't (as fas as is known) support Flash. At work, Flash isn't installed and I've stumbled upon numerous sites that don't function fully without it. Likewise, at home on my Mac, I've stumbled upon numerous sites that don't play well with Safari. Put those two together and you're going to have a less than stellar web experience on the iPhone.

Note to Apple: Why don't you quit wasting time helping YouTube re-encode their videos, and instead spend time re-encoding the iTunes Store video content in 720p so there's a reason to actually buy the AppleTV?

The fact that it would be less than 100% fully-functional web is something I can expect and live with, given the size of the device (since, even if it was 100%,the screen size would naturally limit the overall quality of the navigation experience). That said, I agree with you about 720p. I would buy @TV in a jiffy.

And, why don't they just enable Flash and be done with it!?

[Bacillus]

Bandwidth and data transfer cost…that is the question. Sounds good, but w/ an expensive data plan, where MB’s are metered at a specific rate, then this can become rather expensive.

I’m not up on the latest plans of ATT, but I would think you are given X amount of MB’s and are changed for use thereafter.

[BlackSummerNight]

They have various plans ranging from 1Meg 5Meg to....Unlimited. I know it's a .01 charge per k if you go over you limited amount.

Originally Posted by Bacillus

Bandwidth and data transfer cost…that is the question. Sounds good, but w/ an expensive data plan, where MB’s are metered at a specific rate, then this can become rather expensive.

I’m not up on the latest plans of ATT, but I would think you are given X amount of MB’s and are changed for use thereafter.

[mstone]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

And, why don't they just enable Flash and be done with it!?

I know, it makes no sense to me either. If you are going to say "it's not kind of sort of the Internet. It is the Internet" then it has to support Flash. Otherwise it is just kind of sort of...

Simply reencoding the video does not replace Flash. Authoring in Quicktime is not quite the same as Flash when it comes to buttons and menus the way You Tube currently works in a regular browser.

[caliminius]

Originally Posted by solsun

The problem is not Apple not wanting to upgrade the content, the problem is reaching an agreement with the content providers (ie the tv networks and Hollywood studios) which will allow them to sell HD content.. Apple doesn't own the content in the iTunes store, they are licensing it. Licensing HD content is a whole different deal.

I believe much of the content (at least TV shows) available on iTunes is already available at 720p on XBox Live. I don't have an XBox 360 to know how much content is available in HD there, but it seems pretty clear the networks are willing to sell HD content online (unless MS entered into an exclusive deal for the HD content, but I can't really imagine the networks going for that).

And while I'm creating a wish list, I wish Apple would start a Complete My Season system like the Complete My Album feature.

[CRHain88]

So, apple added new demos to their website about iPhone. Did anyone else notice that the eMail app says something to the affect of "Sent from my iPhone." I'm wondering if this is a default tag, like yahoo puts on every message, or if it is just a removable signature?

Now, that's not going to stop me from getting a phone, but I'd be disappointed if I can't remove that, only because I HATE tag-lines in eMail messages.

I'm also not happy about the YouTube icon. It seems like an eye sore next to the modern, colorful icons, and then you have a 60s looking TV? Both youTube and Notes looks like they don't belong. Ahh well? Like I said, that won't stop me from buying the phone

[melgross]

Originally Posted by BlackSummerNight

**SLAPS FOREHEAD** I forgot about the no flash support.

It isn't just flash.

With H.264 encoding, the video's will download much more quickly. If you have to wait for a couple of minutes before play begins, particularly for the iPhone, then you won't bother.

Now that we see the iPhone's capability with this, the H.264 makes more sense. It wasn't really needed for the ATv, but with EDGE, it's required.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by caliminius

I might too generous in my interpretation, buy I think he was more getting at the idea that Apple is claiming the iPhone provides the "full web" experience yet doesn't (as fas as is known) support Flash. At work, Flash isn't installed and I've stumbled upon numerous sites that don't function fully without it. Likewise, at home on my Mac, I've stumbled upon numerous sites that don't play well with Safari. Put those two together and you're going to have a less than stellar web experience on the iPhone.

Note to Apple: Why don't you quit wasting time helping YouTube re-encode their videos, and instead spend time re-encoding the iTunes Store video content in 720p so there's a reason to actually buy the AppleTV?

Apple isn't helping YouTube.

720p will come when Apple thinks there is a big enough market for it, and the studios concur.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by BlackSummerNight

They should have a way to download directly from iTunes music store to the phone.

Jobs already explained why Apple won't be doing that. Why don't you respond to what he said?

Also, do you really want to download a 4 MB song at a max (theoretical, but actually about half that) of 80 Kb/s?

At a "real" download speed of 40kb/s that would take about 13 minutes 20 seconds. A VERY enjoyable experience.

I really don't think that any sane person would.

[MacGregor]

Originally Posted by solsun

The problem is not Apple not wanting to upgrade the content, the problem is reaching an agreement with the content providers (ie the tv networks and Hollywood studios) which will allow them to sell HD content.. Apple doesn't own the content in the iTunes store, they are licensing it. Licensing HD content is a whole different deal.

Exactly, both Apple and ISP's want you downloading as much as possible so that you pay more. It is the content providers that put the brakes on this.

[BRussell]

Originally Posted by MacGregor

Exactly, both Apple and ISP's want you downloading as much as possible so that you pay more. It is the content providers that put the brakes on this.

Hmm? How do you pay more to Apple or to ISPs by downloading more? I don't think content providers are limiting Apple's movie/TV resolution. If they have the HD versions, I'm sure they'd let Apple sell them.

[TenoBell]

Here is an explanation as to the problem with Flash on the iPhone.

The last thought I had was about the lack of Flash on the handset. I’ve done a lot of work with Flash on the desktop lately on Windows and I have to say that despite Adobe’s efforts to modernize their infrastructure, Flash is still a very primitive technology with strong roots in education CD-ROMs on Mac OS 9 — they’ve made tremendous strides in terms of rapid application development and deployment, but I don’t think performance or reliability has ever really been on Adobe’s radar with this product.

Some of the problems I’ve encountered include random crashes on shutdown, enormous memory leaks in the runtime (a leak in something that draws at 24fps is a huge issue!) — not to mention Flash’s notoriously awful performance. On the application side, many Flash applications (no naming names) written to run in Flash in a browser just don’t care about performance or resource utilization because most web applications have a process lifetime of a page view, or about 10 seconds. Finally, in a mobile context, consider the effect that Flash’s inefficient programming model will have on battery life. The last thing to remember is that the Flash runtime’s performance is about 4-20x worse on Mac OS X than it is on Windows — I bet Apple evaluated its options and decided it didn’t want to have its browser experience marred by Adobe’s lack of focus. You can also bet that with all the crazy user-space scaling tricks that iPhoneSafari does, Flash wouldn’t work.

This isn’t to say that Flash on the handset wouldn’t be useful, but if you consider the use cases it’s really not as big a deal as you might think.

http://www.stuffonfire.com/2007/06/13/iphone-sdk/

[BlackSummerNight]

What are you talkin about 80K, do you live in a 3rd world country. On my el'cheapo DSL connection I get 3M (2.75M) downloads. I'm 100% sure you're talking about dl'ing over the Edge service, but I'm not. It has Wifi built in, why not put it into good use. I have no idea what SJ said about not allowing iTunes downloads, but I'm sure it was a bullshit reason.

Originally Posted by melgross

Jobs already explained why Apple won't be doing that. Why don't you respond to what he said?

Also, do you really want to download a 4 MB song at a max (theoretical, but actually about half that) of 80 Kb/s?

At a "real" download speed of 40kb/s that would take about 13 minutes 20 seconds. A VERY enjoyable experience.

I really don't think that any sane person would.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by BRussell

Hmm? How do you pay more to Apple or to ISPs by downloading more? I don't think content providers are limiting Apple's movie/TV resolution. If they have the HD versions, I'm sure they'd let Apple sell them.

It isn't whether they would LET them sell them.

It under what conditions they would let them sell them.

I'm sure that every studio would LET Apple sell their movies, but so far, they haven't.

Why? Money.

Apple isn't exactly known for its cooperation.

Even though Apple now sells movies for less, people here still complain that it's too high.

What would the studios want for 720p content then?