Ask people what their favorite website is, and increasingly you’ll hear Hulu (at least in the US). The NBC and Fox-backed online video service just kicks ass when it comes to content, interface and overall execution. And now it’s apparently going to attempt to translate that into a kickass iPhone app, according to Business Insider.
Sure, there are other iPhone apps that offer video streaming such as Joost, i.TV and TV.com, but none come close to Hulu in terms of content and public appeal so far. But the most interesting part may be that the Hulu app would apparently work over 3G connections, as well as WiFi. The current crop of video streaming apps are mostly confined to WiFi usage — no doubt at least in part because AT&T doesn’t want streaming video clogging the pipes.
In fact, there’s a rumor going around right now that AT&T is the reason that Apple rejected an app by SlingPlayer from the App Store. That hasn’t been confirmed, but the thought is that just like the supposed Hulu app, the SlingPlayer app would have worked over 3G. So if a Hulu app does carry the same functionality, it stands to reason that it would be rejected as well.
But, the new iPhone 3.0 software, due this summer, touts live video streaming as one of its core new features. Perhaps Hulu could work with Apple to get such an app working. And the rumored new version of the iPhone supposedly will offer faster connection speeds, which could help ease the bandwidth strain AT&T would see on its end.
Hulu has gotten itself into a bit of controversy on the web recently as it has been in a sparring match with the popular media center software startup Boxee. Hulu’s content partners, it seems, don’t want their content easily accessible on a television — a process which Boxee greatly simplifies for many people. But their position for Hulu on a device like the iPhone could be different because it gives them another outlet to monetize their content via ads.
Of course, you have to wonder what Apple would think about a Hulu app, because it sells through iTunes many of the television shows Hulu streams for free. You can’t currently browse to Hulu through the iPhone’s web browser because the iPhone doesn’t support Flash, which Hulu uses.
Business Insider’s Dan Frommer tells me his source on this Hulu app is a trusted one, but that the time frame for the launch is hazy. That, mixed with the potential problems with AT&T and Apple leads me to warn everyone: Don’t get your hopes up just yet.
[photo: flickr/tivol]
This would be great, but like you said it could be very unlikely, apple does like products competing with services they offer.. It’ll be interesting to see if Apple extends AT&T’s exclusivity clause, if not ATT would have to lighten up with increased competition possibly with Verizon in ‘10.. that could only mean good things for consumers.
I hope Apple & AT&T will look at Hulu as a way to get tv into the iphone as a selling point as opposed to seeing them as a competitor.
Yeah, that is what Frommer was saying. That’d be nice, but we’ll see.
I really wish that they’d allow release of the Slingplayer app… I’ve really been looking forward to it.
I wish they’d make a Hulu channel on Wii or Nintendo would get rid of the Opera Browser
I’m sorry to be mentally 12 years old, but you wrote, “none come close to Hulu in terms of content and PUBIC appeal so far.” (Caps are mine for emphasis). Heh.
ha! nice catch – there’s only so much spell check can do there
spices up the story quite a bit though.
Does Hulu make profit or they are just using VC funds like most others?
Hulu actually makes a profit. they do not have large infrastructure/server cost for holding all that junk content that users upload that eats into revenue.
But Hulu’s revenue is small compared to youtube for obvious reasons.
Wait, what? Hulu makes a profit? How can we say that so confidently?
And how do you know they don’t have large infrastructure costs for their servers?
Sounds incredible, but I don’t really see AT&T enabling this. The company already has a hard enough time with its 3G network, and a bunch of iPhoners watching Kitchen Nightmare on the go would wreck havoc. It is interesting you point out the 3.0 upgrade though, as it will use HTML5 to stream vids, which could ease bandwidth.
Definitely putting this in the hope-this-is-true category, but I don’t trust a darn thing from the glorified link-farm that is SAI.
THIS IS RACIST !!!
I would love to see a Hulu app for the iPhone that work of 3G. This would be huge selling point for Apple. I could definitely see this app in a iPhone commercial.
I hope you mean public appeal rather than pubic appeal! Hahaha
You wrote: “And the rumored new version of the iPhone supposedly will offer faster connection speeds, which could help ease the bandwidth strain AT&T would see on its end.”
I’m a little puzzled how you think that a new iPhone that is faster, i.e., capable of using _more_ bandwidth, is going to ease bandwidth strain on AT&T’s network. Seems like it would do the opposite.
The _only_ thing that is going to improve the bandwidth / network availability for AT&T is continuing investment in their infrastructure, or a reduction of device usage on that infrastructure. The former is ongoing, the latter is unlikely.
yeah, I was wondering about that too… seems a little backwards
“pubic appeal”, Millions of readers aren’t going to be really happy. lol.
Bring it to the BB Storm. I’d love to see Hulu on the Storm and this would force Apple and AT&T to accept it too.
We cannot watch Hulu videos in a browser here in Canada. Rogers and Fido (GSM carriers) only support iphone in canada. I wonder if the Hulu app would work for canadian iphones.
As I understand it, Apple will never add Flash capability to the iphone as it allows developers an alternative to their cherished app-store.
You people at the iPhone are doing a wonderful job, meeting all the expectations and winning all the challenges. BRAVO 2 all of you.