It can be really annoying when you want to view a YouTube video but no Internet access can be found. Well, YouTube is aiming to change that annoyance. According to a recent YouTube blog post, the company will make it possible for users to view videos via phone with or without Internet.

Offline YouTube Viewing

Users will soon be able to upload YouTube videos to a phone, save those videos for 48-hours, and access the offline videos at any time during that two day span. This move is a big one for YouTube, since the company has required an Internet connection in order to view videos since YouTube began.

YouTube is hoping that the new offline option will draw more users to the site. If people can view videos while in a car or while camping, for example, more people might watch YouTube videos in return. This would help promote YouTube in general, and it would also generate more ad revenue for the company. Saved YouTube videos will include advertisements, and these videos will be free as usual.

How to Save a Video

The new YouTube offline feature will soon be available through YouTube mobile apps. YouTube subscribers will automatically be enrolled in the offline viewing option with the choice to opt out of the option if necessary.

Will This Change Things?

YouTube is trying to appeal to advertiser dollars with this new feature, though some are stating that the feature has come too late. Even though YouTube is used by billions of people every day, some users aren't so sure that a download option matters. Then again, how many times have you wanted to show someone a YouTube video, but that video couldn't be loaded due to a non-connection?

As popular as YouTube is, too, it's kind of amazing that another company hasn't come along to usurp YouTube's massive user appeal and reach. If you think about it, there's really no other video site as popular as YouTube, so YouTube really has the attention of the entire video viewing crowd. Whether or not this new YouTube feature will work is kind of moot as far as viewers go, since there's no other viable option.

Roll Out Date

The newest YouTube feature will be available to users in November, though no specific date has been set yet. The YouTube blog post mentioned above states that the new feature will appear first on the YouTube blog, and that the company will release additional details at that time.

But, you can come here first. I'll keep you updated on the new YouTube offline feature, let you know how it works, and give you the chance to sound off when you check it out on your own. If you use YouTube a lot, you will like what this new feature can do. If you never use YouTube, maybe you'll start using the site once you can view a video offline. What do you think? Is this a great or a silly feature?