YouTube on Apple TV and iPhone

YouTube is everywhere! As promised, Apple released today a software update for the Apple TV that adds YouTube functionality.Users can download the free software update using Apple TV’s built-in software update feature, and then navigate through YouTube’s familiar video browsing categories or search for specific videos. YouTube members can also log-in to their YouTube accounts on Apple TV to view and save their favorite videos. The Apple TV software update is said to also include some security fixes for the AppleTV but no additional enhancements to the device have appeared aside from a parental controls option to disable YouTube or require a password to access YouTube content.

Apple also announced that YouTube will also be available on the iPhone, with the "mysterious 12th button" now being revealed as a YouTube interface. 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 iPhone’s 3.5 inch display. Apple's website has been updated with images and demos showing this new functionality. There have also been new images added showing off the before-unseen iPhone dock.

To achieve higher video quality and longer battery life on mobile devices, YouTube has begun encoding their videos in the H.264 format. Apple claims that 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. YouTube previously supported Flash based video and Apple announced at this year's WWDC conference that Flash support will not be available, at least initially, on the iPhone.

Earlier this week Apple announced that the iPhone will deliver longer battery life when it ships on June 29 than was originally estimated when iPhone was unveiled in January. iPhone will feature up to 8 hours of talk time, 6 hours of Internet use, 7 hours of video playback or 24 hours of audio playback. In addition, iPhone will feature up to 250 hours (10 days) of standby time. Apple also announced that the entire top surface of iPhone, including its 3.5-inch display, has been upgraded from plastic to optical-quality glass to achieve a superior level of scratch resistance and optical clarity.

We'll have more coverage of this and other announcements next week on our podcast.