Freesat to provide HTML5 YouTube app for UK customers
updated 07:37 am EST, Mon February 11, 2013
YouTube joins BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5 in on-demand service
British free-to-air satellite television provider Freesat will be allowing users to view YouTube videos through it's set-top box. The app will soon launch on the service under it's web-based On Demand service, and joins existing streaming offerings from the BBC, ITV, and soon Channel 4 and Channel 5.
Specific details, such as a specific launch date rather than sometime in March, have yet to be revealed, but it is confirmed it will be built using HTML5 and will be offering a "TV-optimized, visually stunning and fully interactive viewing experience," according to The Next Web. The addition of YouTube will not be charged to customers, though it will require the use of a "Freetime" box to operate.
The app for Freesat joins a number of devices in the living room in offering YouTube to users, and is the first provider of satellite TV to do so. Market leader Sky is unlikely to offer the service on it's own receivers as a YouTube app would directly compete with the broadcaster's own subscription services, though it does offer a number of catch-up TV services for a wide range of channels over the Internet.
