An iPhone or iPod touch with OS 2.0 software installed will now playback embedded YouTube content in a manner which allows the user to auto-return to the originating page. This is accomplished using the YouTube plug-in for MobileSafari included with iPhone OS 2.0. The webpage now slides out of the way to reveal the file being loaded into an instance of the YouTube player instead of quitting the app to launch the native player. Because YouTube is running under MobileSafari instead of in place of it, your page slides right back into view when the user taps the “done” button - similar to slide-in integration with the Mail App.

Previously, a hyperlink would need to be created to send the video to the native YouTube application, but the user would be returned to the home screen upon completing interaction with the video.

Also, a preview of the image is now displayed in place of the default icon for an unsupported plug-in, bringing both presentation and functionality closer to the display of other supported video media, which are able to access the native movie controls. From a practical standpoint, it’s actually superior to embedded content, as you can view the video in the largest possible context. And the best part is, (if your video is encoded in a supported format) it just works! Its plausible that other media types (ie Flash) could be supported in the same manner in future releases of the OS.

-Shaun Mackey

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