LG Developing YouTube-focused Phone
|
Written By Emily Koh | July 3, 2007 | Share This
|
|
LG Electronics, the world’s fifth-largest mobile phone manufacturer, have signed a deal with Google to develop a YouTube-focused 3G phone. Expected to hit the European market in the later half of 2007, users will be able to upload, view and share video clips directly on YouTube.
LG already has ties with Google — it started selling 3G handsets called “Google phones” in Europe last month, which are bundled with software that offers one-click access to Google services like its search engine, Google Maps, and Gmail.
The announcement of this partnership comes right on the heels of the iPhone release, so don’t be surprised to see Apple also announce a video-capturing tool with future iterations of iPhone. Apple already lets iPhone users watch YouTube videos, but unlike the LG deal, users don’t have the capability to record videos. As TechCrunch points out, competitors now have a chance to improve their own mobile video offerings before the iPhone is released internationally or as a 3G version.
LG’s direct phone-to-YouTube access is likely to generate significant traffic and content growth for YouTube. Considering that the social media site already hosts 70,000+ videos and attracts more than 100 million visitors a day, however, it’s debatable how much of an effect the new phones will have on overall traffic numbers. Regardless, interesting opportunities arise — how else might YouTube integrate with other mobile carriers? What new advertising models could they explore? How will content publishers react to YouTube’s growing third-screen presence?
Topics: Advertising: Offline, Google, Publishing, Social Media, Uncategorized, Wireless & Mobile |