Google has released a new YouTube app for Apple users, ahead of the much-anticipated iPhone 5 launch today, which is expected to replace the preloaded YouTube app for Vimeo.
YouTube will not be preloaded on the iPhone 5, and it looks like it will disappear from existing iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices when they upgrade to the iOS 6 software too.
The new app will be available on Apple’s app store instead, while Apple is suspected to incude preloaded video software in partnership with YouTube rival Vimeo.
New features include a channel guide, enabling users to quickly access a list of the YouTube channels that they have subscribed to, and tweaked search tools including autocomplete suggestions.
Social features include the ability to share videos to Google+, Twitter and Facebook. The app is focused on watching videos rather than uploading them: in fact, there doesn’t appear to be an uploading feature included.
Google says a version of the app for iPad is also in the works.
“We’re working on an optimized version of the YouTube app for iPad in the coming months, and stay tuned for more details,” writes YouTube mobile head Andrey Doronichev in a blog post announcing the new app.
Read the official blog announcement here
