In two rather surprising moves, Google today changed the way users will interact with two of its post popular services; YouTube and Maps. One has received an all-new mode for people to use, whilst the other is going the way of Google Reader.
If you enjoy watching informative or downright entertaining videos on your way to work or school, you likely have the YouTube app for iOS installed in a prominent place on your home screen. However, the YouTube videos you so enjoy on your small device may soon make it on the big screen as a “Send to TV” feature has been implemented in the last update of YouTube for iOS, following suit after an update for the Android app earlier this year was released, which made the same much-needed improvement.
App updates are consistently being talked about at the moment, more often than not in the context of developers pushing out updates on the iOS platform to support iOS 6 and the new iPhone 5 which Apple released last week. The official YouTube app have probably been cropping up in conversation more than Google would like, especially as users are wondering where the native iPad app is and when it will be launched, but that hasn't distracted them from pushing out a fairly sizeable update to the official Android YouTube app today.
Although a large number of people were a little disappointed when the news came through that Apple would be removing the native YouTube app with the launch of iOS 6, but the blow was softened a little with the news that Google would release their own official app that would offer all that video viewing goodness to iPhone and iPod touch users. We are still waiting for the official launch of iOS 6, but Google have made good on their promise, with their official YouTube app landing in the iOS App Store today.
YouTube is by far and away the most popular viral video site out there, but unfortunately, it's often let down by applications (or lack thereof). Take iOS for example; the native YouTube app is a sluggish affair which has seen little change from the days of iPhone OS, and most now use the vastly superior web-based app to catch up on the latest music videos, drop tests, and amateur comedy sketches.
As part of their ongoing dedication to produce the next perfect version of their mobile operating system, Apple has pushed out the fourth beta of iOS 6 via the official development portal, accessible by registered developers of the iOS program. As you would expect, the update brings some evolutionary changes as well as improvements and stability enhancements.
I'm not sure which is more annoying; the fact Apple has decided to allow the native iOS YouTube app to fester with little-to-no improvement since the initial iPhone launched all the way back in 2007, or that whenever a YouTube link is selected, one is forced - by default - to view the video in aforementioned app.
One of the most popular features of the PS Vita is that, although it is a powerful portable gaming device, it also brings additional abilities with itself, such as the ability to efficiently access the web and use apps such as Skype and Facebook. That powerful experience is about to get a little better for Vita owners, with Sony announcing that an official YouTube app will available for the handheld gaming device at the end of June.
A newly released iPad app promises to change the way we watch not just YouTube video content, but much of the online video content that we now consume on a daily basis.
Microsoft rolled out its Dashboard update to Xbox 360 users just last week, with strong emphasis on streaming media and video related content.
