Streaming Video May Come to AT&T 3G Network, iPhone

LOS ANGELES — Streaming video may come to the iPhone, and this time, a mainstream company, Netflix, may lead the charge.

Savvy iPhone users would point out that streaming video is already available for the device, but unfortunately, it can only be found through apps loaded onto "jalbroken" iPhones — devices whose native operating systems have been overridden.

But at the same time, the iPhone comes bundled with a robust application for YouTube, and although the content isn't live, it certainly streams in qiuickly. What's the difference?

Wi-Fi. To play stream videos, an iPhone user must make use of a nearby Wi-Fi station, otherwise they'd have to rely on AT&T's 3G data network, which doesn't support streaming content.

"AT&T — cue the Imperial March from "Star Wars" — has been very restrictive over streaming video applications in the app store," said SlashFilm's Peter Sciretta, referrring to the foreboding orchestral music that heralded the arrival of villains in the classic movie franchise. "The company stripped the SlingPlayer app from being able to stream over 3G due to concerns that a streaming app might be too much for the cell network."

Enter Netflix, the popular video rental service. According to multiple reports, Netflix is prepping an iPhone app that would give users the power not only to manage their video rental queues, but also to watch some movies and TV shows online. The move may give AT&T the impetus it needs to make its 3G network more friendly to streaming content.

"It seems to me that it is only a matter of time before these type of features really take off on other phones," Sciretta said, suggesting that AT&T may have to give in and add support for streaming video to keep up with competitors.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Texas Resumes AV Lawsuit Against Aylo Following SCOTUS Decision

A district court judge in Texas has unfrozen the state’s $1.6 million lawsuit against Aylo for allegedly failing to comply with age verification requirements, Bloomberg Law is reporting.

JuicyAds Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

JuicyAds has won its World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) case against a website using a similar domain to impersonate the company's site and defraud customers.

Anissa Kate, Jordan Starr Top AEBN for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top-selling stars for the second quarter of 2025, with Anissa Kate landing atop the leaderboard for straight theaters and Jordan Starr heading up the gay rankings.

AEBN Reveals Eva Maxim as Top Trans Star for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top trans stars list for the second quarter of 2025, with Eva Maxim landing atop the leaderboard.

France Reinstates Age Verification Rule for EU Sites

France’s highest court, the Council of State, on Tuesday reinstated age verification rules for EU-based sites under the country’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law, ruling in favor of the French government and against Hammy Media.

Whisper Fans Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

Whisper Fans has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Utherverse Launches 'Red Light Center' Virtual World

Virtual reality and metaverse technology company Utherverse has launched its new virtual world, RedLightCenter.io.

European Commission Approves AV Guidelines, Unveils Prototype App

The European Commission on Monday released its final, approved guidelines for protecting minors online under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and made public a “white label” age verification app intended to help sites and platforms comply with age verification rules under the DSA.

Show More