The iPhone 4 is coming, and a Netflix app is coming with it. Finally. It’s taken a long time for Netflix to arrive on the iPhone but it’s now happening.

Unfortunately, it coincides with new AT&T data plans which will limit how much video can actually be watched on the iPhone.

Netflix Watch Instantly

Netflix is one of the two services I’d love to see extend beyond the borders of the U.S. The other, obviously, is Hulu. But I don’t want Netflix for DVD and Blu-ray rentals by mail, instead I want access to ‘Watch Instantly’, the streaming portion of the deal.

There are rumors that an international launch for ‘Watch Instantly’ is on the way, but for now it’s U.S.-only. And U.S. residents can ‘Watch Instantly’ via their computer, a Roku box, all three major games consoles, and more besides.

And soon, the iPhone too.

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The online video sector is still a relatively young one. But in the short space of time it’s been a part of our lives, it’s managed to change the way many of us consume television and movies. Especially amongst the younger generations.

Online Video Infancy

It’s easy to forget how young online video still is. YouTube has only been with us for five years. While Hulu and the BBC iPlayer (the best catchup services either side of the Atlantic) have arrived on the scene even more recently.

This means the industry as a whole is nothing more than an infant, still sucking at the teat of Hollywood and broadcast television. But things are changing, with a definite feeling that online video is growing up and maturing just a little bit.

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Can the iPlayer actually get any better than it already is? Apparently so, as the BBC is readying iPlayer 3.0. What’s more, an iPad-friendly version of the site has gone live, just in time for the Apple tablet’s debut in the U.K.

BBC iPlayer

The iPlayer is already massively popular, but the BBC isn’t standing on its laurels, continuing to push the service forward, and evolve it into a better service.

The third generation of the iPlayer is almost ready, and the BBC is already offering a beta version for people to try out and give feedback on. Not all the features are yet present, but it’s looking good at this stage.

The upgrades are described as iPlayer boss Anthony Rose’s “parting gift”, as he’s heading off to work on Project Canvas.

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Hulu has rolled out a newly-updated version of its video player, with many new features added which will enhance the user experience. However, as an aside, Hulu has made it clear HTML support isn’t a priority, which means an iPad app is still a way off.

Hulu

Hulu continues to go from strength to strength, building a dedicated set of regular users who watch multichannel content from the site.

However, no company can stand still or rest on its laurels, and Hulu is seeking to expand its horizons. Unfortunately, the planned international launch looks to have stalled, and the need for Adobe Flash means the service cannot move to the iPad, allowing individual networks to jump ahead.

Still, there’s nothing like the rolling out of some new features to help build momentum.

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The iPad is proving to be very popular, and not just with consumers. Some American networks are embracing the platform and the opportunity it represents, while others don’t seem quite so keen, at least for the time being.

Apple iPad

The iPad is doing great business in the U.S. already, with Apple racking up sales of 1 million in just four weeks. And with the iPad’s international launch beginning this month, the future looks rosy for the first device in the burgeoning tablet market.

The iPad could be important as a driver for online video usage, as it’s intended as being a fully portable, mobile device capable of consuming all types of media. Apple’s insistence on not supporting Adobe Flash could be a problem, but not an insurmountable one by any means.

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Steve Jobs’ wishes may well be coming true, with Adobe losing the battle to keep Flash as the Web video format of choice. And OGG Theora’s hopes of becoming the standard may also be fading. All due to the increasing use of the H.264 standard.

Web Video Formats

There are a number of Web video formats around at the current time. Adobe Flash has been the standard for a number of years, but OGG Theora and H.264 have both emerged more recently as viable alternatives.

H.264 is the favorite of many big companies, including Apple and Microsoft. The latter of which recently announced that it’ll be the only video format supported by Internet Explorer 9. Which, as IE is still the most popular Web browser, is big news.

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It looks as though Apple iPad users love watching online video, even more than the rest of us. One study from MeFeedia suggests that the iPad is going to have a big impact on web video and how we all consume and embrace it.

Apple iPad

Apple launched its iPad tablet on April 3, and there was an immediate buying frenzy. Then again, there is with every Apple product. Apple shifted 500,000 units in the first week, and now three weeks in, the iPad is estimated to have hit the magic one million units sold milestone.

Apple is aiming the iPad squarely at people who want to consume media on the go, and video is obviously figures heavily in its plans. With a combination of streaming, rentals, and downloads, the iPad could change the way we all consume online video.

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