Apple Launches Video Podcasting For iTunes

phaedo00 writes "Apple has launched support for video podcasting in the Podcast section of the iTMS. Ars Technica has a decent write up of the news along with speculation on what this means in the way of a video iPod and Apple's recent application for a patent on the phrase 'iPodcast.'" From the article: "The quiet, fanfare-less launch (in fact, it's not even clear when it was launched) is a bit surprising for the company, but there may be a reason: there's not too many video podcasts out there in the wild. Furthermore, video podcasts are currently only playable on your computer, although it seems clear enough that a video iPod is on the way. If you didn't believe it before, you should definitely believe it now. For now, it looks like video podcasting support is limited."

PSP support

[didiken]

Well, Sony PSP can play h.264 video format. Okay maybe need some simple tweaking with the container format.

  Maybe this is something Sony would like to collaborate with Apple on?

LOL Trolls and dumb mods

[Anonymous Coward]

A brief outline of the revolution (if we can call it that) is as follows: from text, to audio, to video, to Michael Sims' high definition homemade anal fisting videos.

Why don't you mods try reading the whole thing before you mod?

Bandwidth?

[airherbe]

Audio podcasts consume large amounts of bandwidth for the host; not just from the content itself, but the constant retrieval of the RSS feeds from podcast clients, as well.

Video podcasts using the same distribution methods would be highly inefficient. But, perhaps an combined solution using syndicated bittorrents would be feasable, like this guy [gotilk.com] proposes.

// J

I don't think it will take off

[sveskemus]

I don't think video podcasting will take off in the same way as audio podcasting.

It's technically pretty easy to make a decent sounding audio podcast (are we going to have to call it that from now on?). All you need is a decent microphone to record it on, a piece of software to edit it with and you're good. Recording voice so that it sounds good and natural is easy.

Making a decent video podcast is more demanding. I know good video cameras are getting cheaper and cheaper but no matter the quality of the camera you're still looking at somebody's home video unless the lighting is done properly, the sound is recorded by someone who knows what they're doing[1] and you're looking at a person who does not look like he's living in his mom's basement.

In short, a lot more can go wrong when you're moving from just sound to sound and video.

Commercial video podcasting may be interesting. It would be cool to get the news to put on your video iPod. But I think that will be made obsolete pretty quickly with some sort of wireless broadband and mobile phones.

[1] Recording sound for an audio podcast is easy. You speak directly into the microphone. If you have to film the damn thing you'd better move the microphone out of the picture or get a contact mic. Otherwise it will look extremely bad.

Re:So what?

[shotfeel]

So when you get home, the news shows, sports hilights, etc. that you may want to watch have been downloaded to your computer, ready to go. Could be better than Tivo.

Then, of course, it all syncs with your vPod.

What this means for U.S. broadband

[valmont]

Make better use of our home broadband connectivity? [theappleblog.com]. I'm seeing few people addressing the costs and practicality of hosting all this new content.

Re:So what?

[Lars T.]

I don't remember you complaining about Podcasting - which is the same bloody thing for audio.

Re:If Apple was Smart

[bradbeattie]

I agree with you that a video iPod would be an interesting novelty. However, your subject header implies Apple isn't smart, while their recent success would imply otherwise. I gather if they thought a video iPod would be profitable they'd go for it.

Off topic rant

[Anonymous Coward]

Very few things on /. annoy me more than "nothing new here" comments. If it's not news to you, go ahead and read something else. It seems like the only reason for these type of posts is to boast about how you're so far ahead of the curve.

Video iPod Obsession

[Guspaz]

There seems to be an ongoing obsession by the media and the vaporious "Video iPod". For the past 4 years the media has been claiming that a video iPod is just around the corner, and every time word leaks that Apple is about to make an iPod related announcement, the media starts reporting that it is without a doubt a Video iPod.

I think it is time for the media (and public) to realize that the Video iPod ISN'T just around the corner, and that it may not be available for years yet, if ever.

I don't think a video iPod is a bad idea, it's just sad that the media is in a perpetual "Video iPod coming soon!" frame of mind.