Right now the smartphone is everyone’s best friend, as it holds one’s entire life together, from organizing your hectic schedule, staying connected with people, offering internet access, enabling mobile banking, and of course, there’s the entertainment factor.  Netflix, Hulu and even AT&T readily recognize the potential behind online video distribution, all expanding their mobile outlets as technology improves and competition drives demand in this arena.

AT&T is into data provisions, tacking on peripheral services wherever applicable.  And similar to Comcast’s Xfinity mobile app, which has been out for quite a while now, AT&T extends its U-verse to the mobile realm with an app for selected phones like the LG Thrive, LG Phoenix, Samsung Infuse 4G and the Windows Phone HTC HD7S.

Aside from viewing videos, the app also allows them to remotely configure their home DVRs to record their favorite or much awaited shows.  This app also markets U-verse video with various bundle discounts thus increasing their subscribers.  The app has all the essential automated information at your fingertips – current service status, step-by-step guides and troubleshooting prompts, and the ability to restart your receiver plus  it also lets you chat with a customer service rep directly, making it literally a one-stop shop for everything other than billing services.

This extended move to the mobile market may have been influenced by their second quarter falling 10% and the slow increase in subscribers.  The mobile entertainment sector is also gaining a great deal of traction, as video providers like Netflix and Hulu roll out more support for Android devices.

When it comes to distributed video, it’s difficult for publishers to manage the myriad of devices on the market today.  Android’s particularly fragmented, but updates to its OS are extending more opportunities for simplified distribution.  Netflix and Hulu are both looking to create as many access points as possible, and Android’s rapidly growing user base is the perfect demographic to tap.