The public beta for Qik, the mobile service that enables users to stream videos directly from their phones to the Web, has finally been announced. The service has been in beta testing for months now, before being opened to the public along with some new, improved features.

Qik has expanded its list of supported devices with more compatible Symbian OS and Windows Mobile handsets, such as Motorola Q9c and Samsung Blackjack II (a complete list of compatible devices can be found here).

As support for new phones is constantly being added, Qik advices customers to have an Unlimited Data Plan if they wish to opt for this service, considering that video streaming consumer a considerable amount of bandwidth.

As Qik CEO Ramu Sunkara said, according to CNET News, even if the service still doesn’t support all types of phones, more models are still in the works. In the meantime, users can sign up to participate in the Qik community, which will allow them to easily make the transition as soon as support for their phone is available.

Among the new features revealed by Qik are the “Groups” and “Events” features. The first gives users a set of privacy options, allowing them to create video for specific groups, as well as set permission for who is allowed to view the videos.

The “Events” have a new self-service feature that allows users to create specific event pages without the intervention of the Qik staff, as in the past. The event sites, whether they’ll be focused on a family reunion or business conference, will be at the user’s disposal, who will be able to customize them and aggregate the content they wish.

Through Qik, users can stream videos to friends in Facebook, Twitter and other similar communities in a simple manner, just by logging in on the Qik website. The streams are automatically recorded and available through the user’s profile page.