What does it mean? Basically, YouTube aims to be not only a website, but a service as well.
Starting today, YouTube will release a new set of APIs, which will allow to website owners to create a better integration with the video site.
“…We have added the following new API
services for external developers and partners:
* Upload videos and video responses to
YouTube
* Add/Edit user and video metadata
(titles, descriptions, ratings, comments, favorites, contacts, etc)
* Fetch localized standard feeds (most
viewed, top rated, etc.) for 18 international locales
* Perform custom queries optimized for
18 international locales
* Customize player UI and control video
playback (pause, play, stop, etc.) through software” explained Patterson in his
post.
This means that now any website can
create a YouTube copycat and the users will have access on the third-party
sites to the same features as on YouTube.
Patterson also offered some examples
about how the new APIs can be used. For example, Electronic Arts has enabled
gamers to capture videos of fantastical user-generated creatures from their
upcoming game, Spore, and publish these directly into YouTube.
Also today TiVo announced an agreement
with YouTube that will offer access to
YouTube videos directly from the TV via a TiVo DVR. The company said the
service will be available later this year to broadband-connected subscribers
with TiVo Series3 DVRs, including the new TiVo HD.
Upon launch of the TiVo-YouTube service,
TiVo users will be able to search, browse and watch these videos directly on
their television sets through their broadband connected TiVo DVRs. Importantly, users will be able to log into
their YouTube accounts directly from their TiVo boxes and access their favorite
YouTube channels and playlists.
“Being able to make available YouTube videos to the TiVo subscriber base using one device, one remote and one user interface is another major step in our commitment to combine all of your television and web video viewing options in one easy to use service,” said Tara Maitra, Vice President and GM of Content Services at TiVo Inc.