An Ad-Supported Video App for Android Phones

1Cast, a Web and mobile video broadcast platform, has created a free, ad-supported application for phones running Google’s Android mobile operating system.

The downloadable app delivers political, sports, and entertainment news video clips to a user’s handset. A handful of videos will appear in each news category, and will play in succession when a user selects his or her preferred category. Ad placements consist of mid-roll :15 spots and a static companion ad.

1Cast already offers an iPhone app, released back in November, and a Web-based video player. Anthony Bontrager, president of 1Cast, said the company also hopes to offer an in-home video extension. “We [have] a three screen strategy: mobile, desktop, and we will find ourselves in the living room as well,” he said.

1Cast news clip as seen on the G1.

1Cast advertisers include Infinity, which is using it to promote its G-Series vehicles, BP, Chilis, and Visa Black Card. The company has licensed video content from AP, CNBC, and the Wall Street Journal.

According to Comscore, 645,000 U.S. mobile subscribers watched on-demand video over a three-month period ending August 2008 in the local, national, and world news category. Slightly fewer, 629,000 subscribers, consumed entertainment and celebrity news; and 603,000 consumed sports action or news. 1Cast was unable to provide numbers on the number of installations its iPhone app has enjoyed since its launch.

Users of any phone using the Google Android operating system, currently only available on the T-Mobile G1 with Google, will be able to download the app from 1Cast. More handset models are expected to be released with time.