New Version Of OrbLive iPhone App Streams Live TV Over 3G
In the past, any iPhone apps that streamed live video were restricted by Apple. The apps could only use Wi-Fi or EDGE, and not AT&T's 3G network, if they wanted App Store approval. Yesterday, though, Apple approved an app that streams live TV over Wi-Fi, AT&T's EDGE and 3G connections. The updated version of OrbLive for iPhone which was previously Wi-Fi/EDGE only, now allows for the streaming of live TV, videos, music, and photos from your home PC to your iPhone over the 3G network.
Orb Networks is a company who makes software for streaming your media from your home PC to other devices including mobile phones, gaming systems like the Xbox and Wii, other internet-connected computers, and, of course, the iPhone. In order to use the service, you must first install the downloadable Orb software on your home's XP or Vista PC which will act as the media hub. If that PC has a TV tuner card installed, you can then stream live TV in addition to the other shared media on the computer to any internet-connected device. The media is accessed from the device's web browser by logging into a centralized portal at mycast.orb.com.
With the new iPhone app, available in both a free version and a paid version which allows for more control over what you watch (OrbLive free just streams random files), you can now stream your media over 3G in addition to Wi-Fi and EDGE. Given Apple's approval of this application, they've set a precedent for approving apps that stream live video over 3G. They could now no longer block approval to apps like Slingbox, for example, as doing so would be illegal and anti-competitive. If they approved the OrbLive app knowingly, then we can expect a slew of 3G-enabled live TV and streaming media applications in the near future.
Of course, the new OrbLive app may have been admitted into the App Store by mistake, so before shelling out the $9.99 to purchase it, you may want to wait and see if the app is yanked in the next few days. We hope that's not the case, because live TV on the iPhone over 3G would be truly incredible. But this is Apple, so you never really know.
Comments
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Anyone know what the restriction of streaming live video was related to. Too much bandwidth use or something? It doesn't seem to compete with any Apple application, does it. I personally think that as time goes by and the platform becomes a bit more developed, Apple will continue to lift restrictions.
That streaming app is nice except for the fact it only runs on Windows desktops, which is understandable since MS gets everything first. I'd like to use my SlingBox on an iPod Touch. I guess the SlingPlayer app for iPhone/iPod Touch will be out shortly.
I like the sound of that!
Posted by: Phil Gloɔknɘr
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November 10, 2008 8:55 AM
The best thing about the iphone is the software updates and new features like these.
I am using Orb from past 2 years..
This is one of the best application that I have ever seen. Now I can watch my Video library, listen to my music collections even access my office documents all to my iPhone..
no copy.. no upload.. A direct streaming from my home PC to my iPhone.
The best is LiveTV access, irrespective of where ever am I.
Infact can also schedule my favorite TV show & watch it after the office meeting.
internetTV, iRadio & Webcam are incredable... specifically iTV is a part of my daily routine for Live News. Thanks Orb.
"They could now no longer block approval to apps like Slingbox, for example, as doing so would be illegal and anti-competitive."
Just so you know, as a matter of law, that's not true.
-"Antitrust" is not the same as "anticompetitive." We have antitrust laws, not anticompetitive laws.
-Apple's decision whether to approve apps in the App Store would not involve any laws currently on the books, whether anticompetitive or antitrust.
Apple can do whatever they want... all they have to worry about is bad PR with consumers, and scaring away good developers.
We at PhoneNews.com disagree. Apple holds an overbearing monopoly over App Store applications. To say to one developer that Live TV streaming is permitted, and then to say that another developer (after they have submitted their app) that it isn't, would be an anti-competitive business practice.
More explanation here: http://www.phonenews.com/apple-blocks-developers-from-bypassing-app-store-4695/
@Christopher Price: I agree with @sd. I would NOT be anti-competitive for Apple to promote one develope over another. It would be anti-competitive for Apple to prevent a developer that is selling an iPhone app from selling an Andriod app. It would be anti-competitive for Apple to force Best Buy to stop selling HP computers. It would not be anti-competitive for Best Buy to do so on it's own. When you own the store YOU ge to decide what you will and will not sell.