iPhone 3GS raises YouTube mobile uploads 400 per cent

The number of videos filmed on mobile phones uploaded to YouTube has risen 400 per cent since Friday, following the release of Apple's iPhone 3GS.

The device, newly fitted with video recording technology, allows users to upload their videos wirelessly to the YouTube over 3G phone networks. The increase comes as part of a trend towards mobile devices being equipped with video uploading and sharing facilities which has seen 17 times more mobile phone footage uploaded to YouTube in comparison to six months ago. The increase in uploads is not believed to worry YouTube, which already sees more than 20 hours of content uploaded every minute, from a variety of sources.

Though less widespread, Android phones such as the T Mobile G1 and Vodafone HTC Magic are also capable of performing the same function. Video sharing is made straightforward on all formats by the integration of social media features with YouTube, allowing users to show content they've uploaded using social networks such as Facebook and microblogging service Twitter.

One iPhone 3GS user almost managed to destroy his phone while testing the process, after dropping the device into a swimming pool when filming. Unexpectedly, the phone not only survived its brief dip in the pool, but carried on filming throughout the incident (below).