/ 28 January 2008

YouTube goes mobile

YouTube on Thursday began making all of its videos available on the latest-generation cellphones as people increasingly shift to accessing the internet on the go.

YouTube for Mobile lets people view any of the popular website’s videos, provided their cellphones can stream the data and are linked to a 3G network that incorporates high-speed internet access.

Google-owned YouTube began making videos available to ”smart phones” in 2006, but only a small portion of its huge trove of user-contributed material could be viewed on the devices.

”Creating the best possible mobile video experience for users involves allowing the community to engage with YouTube whenever they want, wherever they are,” YouTube said in a written release.

”The latest enhancements to YouTube for Mobile will give users access to the largest repository of mobile video content available, on over 100-million devices worldwide, and more tools to personalise their experience.”

YouTube said it works closely with cellphone makers including Motorola, LG, Helio and Nokia.

YouTube for Mobile is available in 17 countries and nearly a dozen languages, according to the California firm. — Sapa-AFP