Google Mobile App Means Better YouTube On The Go

Friday update to Google's Mobile Blog download

"We've been working hard to support more devices and to offer better speed, quality and robustness on the YouTube app," wrote Andreas Tuerk, product manager, and Stephen Spence, software engineer, both of Google's mobile team. "So we're excited to announce a new version of our mobile that's optimized for most Windows Mobile and Symbian Series 60 devices."

Many Symbian-based mobile devices already have Flash-capable browsers, but according to Google, one feature of the new YouTube app is that it automatically selects the highest-quality video available for the user's specific network and mobile device.

"Once installed, no configuration is required outside the application," wrote Tuerk and Spence. "We've worked really hard to make video playback 'just work.' "

Among other features, Google said the app is designed for better speed, sharper video quality, improved streaming over Wi-Fi and more robust streaming even in weak coverage areas.

The application works for almost all Windows Mobile devices and Nokia S60 3rd edition (Feature Pack 1 and Feature Pack 2) devices.

YouTube's official list of Nokia-compatible devices includes about 30 individual models.

The YouTube app strengthens Google's resolve to be a major player in the mobile space, having already fashioned a number of Google apps specifically for smartphones. Google's Android platform is also advancing; Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC earlier this week said it would release three more handsets based on Android by the end of 2009.

Google rival Microsoft is also bombarding the mobile space, saying last week it was wooing developers to build applications for its recently announced app store.

Sales of smartphones worldwide slowed a little bit in fourth-quarter 2008, but Samsung, RIM, HTC and Apple all saw volume and share increases, according to Gartner research.