Social Media

YouTube on Verizon?


YouTube Mobile could come sooner than we think, but only for Verizon customers. The pair are in "advanced talks" about a deal that would allow Verizon Wireless customers to view YouTube videos through their premium V Cast service, which costs an extra $15 per month. Verizon already has clips from MTV, ESPN, and ABC News, but YouTube would be the first Internet-only partner. They also want to make YouTube available through on-demand TV - this would allow them to make full use of their new network, which runs through fiber-optic lines to the homes of subscribers. A deal could be completed within a few weeks, but there's still a chance that it won't be closed.

Putting YouTube clips on cellphones makes a great deal of sense: they're short enough to fill in the periods of time when you might normally listen to your iPod, and the low quality won't matter so much on the small screen. On TV, however, it makes less sense: YouTube's grainy clips look terrible when you enlarge them: on a 40 inch TV screen, they may be unwatchable. What it does mean is that Verizon could get a lead on the competition.

One limitation is that you won't gain access to all of YouTube - instead, they'll let you view the top 50 or 100 most popular clips. Based on how easily these rankings are gamed, that won't be a particularly high-quality selection. You also won't be able to record video clips from your phone immediately, but that may arrive by the "end of the year". If any money is changing hands at all, it's more likely that Verizon is paying YouTube, reports the WSJ.

Load Comments

The New Stuff

The Next Big Thing

What's Hot