LG second after Apple for mobile YouTube

LG Mobile today revealed that it will be the second major cellphone producer after Apple to install a custom YouTube interface on its phones. The move will allow owners of compatible handsets, regardless of their carrier, to both browse videos over a mobile Internet connection and also to upload videos captured with a phone's camera. No specifics were given regarding the interface, but the company mentions that the feature will require a handset preloaded with the software. Multiple phones with the feature will be available worldwide towards the end of 2007, LG said.

"For the first time, LG customers will be able to film, upload and view videos on YouTube using their mobile phone just as they would be able to from their home computer," said the company's president and CEO, Dr. Skott Ahn.

Although Apple was the first to announce a dedicated YouTube client in the form of a program for the iPhone, LG had actively courted Google for multiple services in the past, bundling its KS10 slider with Google's search, Gmail, and Google Maps tools. Verizon has offered a V CAST YouTube service since December but has largely restricted its use, allowing customers to browse only highlighted clips and to upload to a Verizon-specific account.