Apple's innovative and popular entry into the cell wars features the ability to watch free iPhone movie downloads. Google Maps are fun, the interface is nothing short of spectacular, and iPhone accessories are nifty, but in the end, the device is only half communicator; the other half is designed for entertainment. Keeping in step with the latest innovations of the web, Apple's iPhone is a perfect match for the portable video revolution.
Cinematic Splendor
One of the improvements over the video iPod was the larger screen of the iPhone. Since the controls are touch-sensitive, when the controls aren't needed, they conveniently disappear and leave the screen real estate for what's important: content. This means that movies can be viewed in 2"x3" size on the screen. This may not seem like it's very big, until you realize that translates to 480x320 in pixels (twice as wide as the most common size of web video, 320x240) and that the screen has an incredible resolution of 163 pixels-per-inch. In comparison, most computer displays have a resolution of 72 ppi. This makes even the small images sharp and clear on the screen. You can also "zoom" cinematic 16x9 videos to show the videos using the entire screen.
Of course, most web video is not produced at High Definition, though this is becoming more and more the goal with video producers. As a result, the 163ppi would only be useful on movies and shows that have either been "ripped" at a higher definition from a DVD or a show rented from the iTunes store. While these shows are very convenient (since they can be downloaded directly to the phone, no computer necessary), most cost money.
Point and Click Your Way to Free iPhone Movie Downloads
There are basically only two ways to actually get free iPhone movie downloads.
YouTube It
Since the iPhone has an internet connection both through the cell phone network and also the 802.11 Wi-Fi, it's a very quick step to get to YouTube and from there access whatever videos you'd like. In fact, Apple has created a specific application just for that purpose, which means that there is no need to go through a miniaturized browser to view them.
This is a double edged sword, however, as it means that -- as of this time -- other video sites such as DailyMotion are excluded from being available on the iPhone.
Vidcasts from iTunes & More
Another phenomenon of the Web 2.0 revolution is the emergence of vidcasts, which are independently produced videos on various subjects freely available on the web. While most vidcasts have their own websites, the real advantage of the medium is the use of Really Simple Syndication (RSS). This technology works the same way that the postal service does for magazines - instead of having to go to the website and get the video, it is delivered to the computer whenever a new episode is produced. The program that monitors the RSS feeds for updated content is known as a "podcatcher."
Apple has embraced this wave of social media by including podcatcher functionality in their immensely popular cross-platform application iTunes. They've also created a directory listing many vidcasts and making "subscribing" to them as easy as a point & click. Since the iPhone is synchronized to the computer's content using iTunes as well, the latest vidcast would be automatically transferred to the device at each sync. iTunes also offers several methods of managing subscriptions, such as "only transfer the last 3 episodes" or "transfer all unwatched episodes" to help manage space on the iPhone. While the 8GB or 16GB models might seem large compared to other cell phones, the digital video and movies quickly takes up the available space.
Watch Videos Free on iPhone
With this many methods of acquiring video, it's no wonder the iPhone is swiftly becoming the new standard for portable devices. As new media proliferates on the web, it's fairly certain that future iterations of the iPhone will keep pace and continue to add to the fun and entertainment of the platform.
