Apple has announced that content from Google’s popular video-sharing Web site YouTube is now accessible via the company’s Apple TV set-top appliance, and that iPhone users will be able to access YouTube video via either Wi-Fi or EDGE connectivity when the highly anticipated handsets go on sale June 29.
“iPhone delivers the best YouTube mobile experience by far,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs, in a release. “Now users can enjoy YouTube wherever they are—in their iPhone, on their Mac, or on a widescreen TV in their living room with Apple TV.”
Apple TV owners can access YouTube content by downloading a free software update via the Apple TV’s integrated update feature. Once installed, users can navigate YouTube’s video browsing categories, and log into their YouTube accounts to set up and access their favorite videos.
According to Apple, the iPhone will be the first mobile device to leverage YouTube’s encoding of video in H.264 format. Initially, only some 10,000 videos will be available, but YouTube anticipates their complete video catalog will be available in H.264 format by the end of the third quarter of 2007. iPhone users will be able to connect to YouTube using either the device’s integrated Wi-Fi wireless networking, or via EDGE-based cellular data services through AT&T, which is the iPhone’s exclusive carrier in the United States.
The Apple TV is available now for $299 ($399 for a version with a 160 GB hard drive); the Apple iPhone goes on sale June 29 and is priced at $499 for 4 GB model, $599 for an 8 GB model.
