YouTube, Amazon video apps for Wii U go live in US

By: Jason McCarthy

  |   November 26th, 2012   |  

Wii U News

The Wii U buyers were not happy to learn that the novel feature of Nintendo’s first HD console has been delayed until later this year.

The Japan-based company’s TVii service, a free video application, had stirred quite a bit of excitement upon its announcement in September. Initially scheduled to be launched on the same day that the console hit the shelves in North America, i.e. November 18, the service was delayed to next month.

Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime had stated during an interview that the Wii U users will find the Netflix application to be live on the day the console is launched, whereas the rest of the applications will launch sometime during December.

Fortunately for the Wii owners, they have not been made to wait for too long to start using the video on demand services on the unique tablet controller GamePad.

The YouTube and Amazon Video applications presented on the Wii U have now gone live in the US, according to the latest reports, enabling people to start searching, watching and interacting with their free shows, films and sporting events in the comfort of their living room without hogging up the television.

The YouTube application for Wii U initially comes off as pretty similar to the one released for Wii, but is better in the sense that it can stream the HD content. The application additionally allows users to search for videos and stream them right on the unique tablet controller of the console.

The other video on demand application to go live on Wii U is the Amazon Video application.

Amazing Instant video gives users an access to around 140,000 TV episodes and movies, which they can view by purchasing or renting them. Amazon Prime customers, however, are not required to pay anything extra to view up to 30,000 movies and TV episodes.

Neither YouTube nor Amazon Video applications require any additional equipment. Nintendo also does not charge its users for the use of the service.

Announced in September earlier this year, Nintendo was all set to change the way a gaming console is looked at through its TVii service. The free video application was to turn the system into an entertainment hub for the users, giving them access to other forms of enjoyment than just video games.

A company that has never believed in sticking to trends and has a strong faith in innovation being the key to success was expected to deliver plenty of fresh experience through its latest console. For many, its unique tablet controller was the innovation, whereas others had a feeling that Nintendo had more aces up its sleeves, something that time proved to be true.

Wii U will be hitting the European and Australian region on November 30, whereas the Japanese consumers will be able to get their hands on the console starting December 8.