With record numbers of consumers accessing YouTube via mobile devices – traffic was up 160% in 2009 over the previous year – an updated version of YouTube Mobile is currently being rolled out.
HQ for the iPhone
The current built-in iPhone app is a bit of a duff affair, lacking a lot of the features you can get in the new mobile version.
Crucially, support for HQ streams is also absent, so we’d recommend using the new YouTube website to access videos on your handset, and as if to remind you, the new mobile site proactively prompts you to add it as a home screen bookmark.
It’s fast!
The YouTube mobile site now enjoys an incredible 100 million video playbacks a day, and owners Google (who bagged YouTube back on 2006) reckon their updated version is going to rock your boat.
According to their blog post, here’s what’s new about their mobile site.
- It’s really fast.
- The user interface incorporates larger, more touch-friendly elements, making it easier to access videos on the go.
- It incorporates the features and functionality you’ve come to expect from the .com site, like search query suggestions, the options to create playlists, the ability to designate “favourite,” “like” or “unlike” videos directly from your device.
- As we make improvements to Youtube.com, you’ll see them quickly follow on our mobile site, unlike native apps which are not updated as frequently.
Point your mobile browser in the direction of m.youtube.com to see what’s new for yourself (bear in mind it might take a while to become active in your area) , or check out the video below to see what’s in store.
[Via]
