YouTube Hopes to be on Mobile Devices in 2007

Posted 02 November 2006 @ 11:13 am EET     Print     Reprint     E-Mail     Comments

NEW YORK (AP) - YouTube Inc., the popular online video sharing site, said on Wednesday it hopes to launch a service for wireless devices within a year. Chad Hurley, YouTube chief executive and co-founder, told an advertising conference that offering video services on mobile phones was a key opportunity for the company.

"Within the next year we hope to have something on a mobile device, it's going to be a huge market, especially for the video mind-set we're dealing with, it's a natural transition," said Hurley. Hurley was speaking at the OgilvyOne Digital Summit in one of his first public engagements since the announcement last month that Internet search leader Google Inc. is to buy YouTube for $1.65 billion.

In May, YouTube launched its YouTube To Go service to enable users to upload clips directly from their mobile phones to view on the Web site on their personal computers. Already many of the clips seen on YouTube are captured by users with their cellphones. A new mobile service could enable users to share videos with others in the YouTube community directly via their phones.

YouTube allows users to upload and share personal video clips but has come into conflict with record labels and television companies in recent weeks. Some YouTube users have illegally uploaded copyrighted videos such as music videos and TV shows.
Viacom Inc. sent YouTube a letter last Friday asking it to remove certain clips of its popular Comedy Central shows by comedians Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.