The Future of Mobile Video and Television

I previously spoke about the importance of mobile devices, web technologies, and how they can be applied to banking, but mobile devices have evolved into a multifaceted communications platform through voice, text, and multimedia. With the consistent hype in the blogosphere about Apple’s iPhone, a new service offering from Verizon has gone relatively unnoticed. V Cast Mobile TV allows customers to watch full length television programs on the go through their mobile phone with content provided by three of the major networks, ESPN, MTV, and Comedy Central. This is an excellent service, but it is just the beginning.

Several video services are available on the web, but Viddler and Justin TV are two communities offering content produced by individuals. The former allows its community members to provide self-made content and tag it similar to a DVD. The community is also involved tagging video with subjects, comments, and video responses. Also, Viddler relies on its members to help remove copyrighted material, which mitigates the risk of a copyright lawsuit similar to what YouTube faces. The latter follows two people, Justin Kan and Justine Ezarik — also known as iJustine, who continuously broadcast video over the internet regardless of location. This service has a similar feel to The Truman Show and EDtv, offering a voyeuristic view into their lives.

With both platforms and content available, this is the future of video on demand.

Technorati Tags: justin.tv, mobile video, Verizon, Viddler