Lame Offline Viewing Function Coming To The YouTube App Next Month
by Brent Dirks
October 9, 2013
YouTube will update its app sometime next month to allow users to download and watch videos on their iOS devices. But no surprise, there are some strings attached.
According to a new FAQ posted by Google, users can view downloaded videos on their device for a “limited period” of 48 hours without an Internet connection:
If the device is offline for more than 48 hours the content cannot be viewed offline until the device reconnects. Once connected, the offline window refreshes and the viewer is able to watch the content again.With the updated app, viewers will be able to select certain content they want to view without Internet connectivity. When that happens, an “On Device” section of the guide will show which videos can be seen. The main reason for the limited offline capability is sure to be advertisements. Viewers can’t see the profitable ads when they aren’t connected to the Internet. Google is also allowing video uploaders to disable the offline functionality if they choose. Designed for both the iPhone/iPod touch and iPad/iPad mini, the YouTube app can be downloaded now in the App Store for free. The most recent major update to the app arrived in mid-August with the move to version 2.0. That brought the ability to multitask inside the app, improved support for connected TVs, and other search improvements. Our own Robin Rhys showed off the update in a recent edition of AppAdvice Daily.
