X

YouTube revamps mobile offering for Symbian and WinMo phones

The video sharing site's mobile app just got a whole lot faster, for non-iPhone users that is. The latest version is approximately 90 percent faster than the old one.

Josh Lowensohn Former Senior Writer
Josh Lowensohn joined CNET in 2006 and now covers Apple. Before that, Josh wrote about everything from new Web start-ups, to remote-controlled robots that watch your house. Prior to joining CNET, Josh covered breaking video game news, as well as reviewing game software. His current console favorite is the Xbox 360.
Josh Lowensohn

While not nearly as sexy as YouTube on the iPhone, Symbian and Windows Mobile users have reason to celebrate with a new version of the YouTube's mobile application (download and review). The company boasts that it's 90 percent faster than the previous version in terms of how quickly it starts up, pulls up search results, and when a video begins to play. It also detects what connection you're on and will serve up a quality that will stream in the fastest.

YouTube 2.2 on Windows Mobile
YouTube 2.2 plays videos in landscape and portrait modes on the Samsung Omnia.

In the demo video below, both the application and the selected video begin to play around a second after they're launched. That's a whole lot faster than the iPhone, especially the launch time, which should make clicking on YouTube links in e-mails and while browsing a less painful experience. While YouTube for Mobile is available globally, it's only localized for Australia, Ireland, N.Z., UK, and the US. Regardless, Nokia N95 owners should be pleased: