YouTube To Offer Video Download Option

The current YouTube community is accustomed to having to use 3rd party tools to download YouTube’s video content, however, that may soon change (see image below) this would be the first time an official download option has appeared on YouTube. The new option gives users a full-quality H.264 file which is the very same copy that’s sent out to YouTube-capable set top boxes and iPhones.

I should also make note that while this is currently only available on very few videos, it makes sense. Google is shutting down Google Video (partially – they will no longer accept uploads, however, you can still view the current content).  That being said, Google has offered the ability to download video clips from the Google Video service in iPod and PSP-friendly formats which leads me to think that this option is no coincidence.

I would love to be able to let people download my videos from YouTube so they can put them on their portable devices. Now obviously, if this is implemented it will not be enabled by default for obvious reasons (copyright infringement), but I would bet to see it soon as an option in everyone’s YouTube account.

What are your thoughts?  Leave a comment!