ArsTechnica ran a great post last week explaining the technical details behind Apple’s implementation of video and audio streaming on the iPhone and in QuicktimeX (which will be part of Snow Leopard). In short, Apple enables streaming over regular http transfer protocols rather than requiring specialized server hardware and software which is needed when hosting Adobe Flash or Microsoft Silverlight streams. Also, the latter might require consumers to change settings in their browsers or routers, which many do not know how to do.
The implications of Apple’s move is what’s so interesting. In short:
- We don’t need to rely on YouTube or other public sites to host our videos. We can now do it ourselves at a much lower price point than we can today. While I still expect the majority of iPhone 3GS videos to go straight to YouTube, some of the videos that might not be suitable, e.g. for a future employer, can now be hosted on your own, password-protected site and managed on your own.
- Apple will make it even easier for us to host our own videos, at least within the Apple world (through iLife, hosted on MobileMe). Expect 3rd party developers to bring this to the non-Apple world.
- I cannot see Apple adopting Flash on the iPhone, unless Adobe adopts http streaming.
- If Adobe would adopt http streaming, a lot of Flash sites could suddenly become accessible to the iPhone, thus making the iPhone an even more interesting smartphone (as if it needs that).
- Other video services, esp. in countries where YouTube is not that dominant, could easily convert to http streaming and offer / sell dedicated player apps (similar to YouTube’s) through the AppStore.
Over the long term, it will be interesting to watch this battle evolve. Esp. Microsoft will be keen to not totally loose out to Apple in video and audio. I look forward to learning what their next move will be.
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