Hulu rolls out Windows 8 RT app. Windows Phone 8 version in the future?

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It’s been two-years since Windows Phone has been on the scene and if there is one app we’re really yearning for (not looking at you, Instagram), it’s Hulu. The app has been available on Xbox 360 for sometime and we use it daily, so it’s with great joy we see it’s now available for Windows 8.

The RT app will run on Surface tablets and of course Pro devices. It’s very metro influenced and the Hulu team even tossed together a demo video of the service (it’s still not available yet in our Windows 8 Store). The app will come pre-loaded on Acer and Sony Windows 8 devices although anyone with Win 8 can just go and downloaded it to the store. Combined with the recently released Netflix app (also gorgeous) and Windows 8 will have some great media services out the gate.

But what we’re really wondering is of course when will the Windows Phone 8 app land? Hulu now has two of the three systems in place, so is it too much to expect them to release a phone version on October 29th? We sure hope not because boy will that be an odd omission. [Note: Embedded video is on Hulu, so you probably can't view it mobile]

Source: Hulu Blog; Thanks, Alan A., for the tip

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino

Daniel Rubino is the Executive Editor of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft here since 2007, back when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, next-gen computing, and arguing with people on the internet.
50 Comments
  • I'm really liking how Hulu utilized the Windows 8 theme... App looks slick and the design is well thought out!
  • Windows 8 is going to be so great on touchscreens.  Developers and businesses can really make some excellent apps with the design language and integrated charms bar ect.  
  • Our or out? Lol
  • Hulu Plus is a huge waste of money because half the shows are still available to watch ONLY on your PC, even if you're a paying subscriber using the official app on the 360 or ps3, or browsing the website on a tablet. So my question is: will Hulu consider a Surface RT to be "pc-enough" to access that pc-only content? Or will it be like when I go to the website on my current tablet and get the pc-only message?
  • Good question but is there that much content that's still PC only? Everything I search for is available on my Xbox. Wait isn't there stuff on plus that's not available for the PC?
  • I use it everyday--hadn't had any restrictions lately. Family Guy, American Dad, Colbert Report, Daily Show, Community and some good UK shows are all on there. Love it.
  • I got rid of my subscription a year ago so maybe things have changed.... But what I really wanted to watch were USA shows (Psych, Royal Pains, etc) and FX shows (It's Always Sunny), and they were always restricted.
  • The only reason why I'm ambivalent about Hulu and similar apps on the phone is that, without WiFi, it will do to your data plan what the Tigers did to the Yankees. *weeps*
  • Unlimited 4G here on Tmobile USA
  • Is there a WP central app coming to windows 8 before the end of the year.
  • This!
  • Yes
  • Hulu will look great on my 4.8 inch Samsung ATIV
  • What's Hulu ?
  • A app to watch TV shows old and new ones.
  • you can't access hulu content outside the usa or japan (i think), but i use a vpn to access hulu from the uk pretty good if you like watching american tv shows and dont like waiting for them to come on in the uk
  • I'm not sure I understand.  I thought if one were to develop an app for Windows 8 (meaning it is an app that is available in the Microsoft App Store), it would work on Windows 8 (PC), Surface Pro and Surface RT and there would be no need for developers to create individual apps for each individual platform.  I can see WP8 being a little different because of the screen orientation... but am I missing something?  Why does there need to be an RT-specific app if RT can run all apps designed for Windows 8?
  • You are correct, any app that is available to download in the windows store has to work on arm (RT) and x86 architectures. With the shared kernel, it should be easy to port for windows phone 8 as well, but without general availability for the SDK, its still somewhat unsure how easy exactly it is to port. We'll find out soon enough though!
  • That's not actually true.  It's at the developer's discretion.  There's about 4% of the Metro/WinRT apps that don't run on Windows RT / ARM.  Hell, even Microsoft's own Minesweeper, Solitaire, Mahjong, and Taptiles are awaiting an update to get ARM compatibility.
  • Oh... so it is possible that apps in the MS store will only run on Surface Pro and not Surface RT??  This is disconcerting to say the least.... I'm not sure if I want to keep my Surface RT pre-order then....
  • It's definitely possible, but it's rare.  The big example so far that I'm hoping will get an update for ARM support is Cyberlink PowerDVD Mobile.  If you go to the details page, you'll see a "Supported Processors" section, that only lists x86 and x64.
  • All Win RT apps can run on Win 8 Pro. The reverse is not true.
  • OK, but I'm talking about apps only, not traditional executable programs that are installed.  I understand Surface Pro can install all Windows 8-compatible programs, like a traditional laptop/PC, and that Surface RT cannot.  But as far as apps go, Surface RT can use any app in the Windows App Store just like Win 8/Pro.
  • Nope, not true.
  • It's the same as between x86 and x64. Applications coded for x86 can run on x64 but applications coded for x64 can not run on x86.
     
    All applications (metro apps and executables) coded for Win RT (ARM processors) can run on Win RT, Win 8 x86 and Win 8 x64. All applications (metro apps and executables) coded for Win 8 x86 can run on Win 8 x86 and Win 8 x64. All applications (I don't think metro apps will specifically be coded for x64) coded for Win 8 x64 can only run on x64. There is no backwards compatibility.
     
    There is also the issue of api's. So not only is it a processor compatibility issue, it's an api issue. 3rd Party developers are only allowed to use a subset of all api's. That's why Mozilla made a big stink about Win RT when Microsoft said the only browser available would be IE10. Microsoft is not making those api's available to 3rd party developers.
  • Ok, that makes sense. Thanks.
    It seems like MS should really push apps to be developed for RT then.  I suppose that would make sense for developers as well if they want the widest audience to sell to.  Hopefully the App Store goes no higher than the current 4% of apps that cannot run on RT.
  • RT = new Win 8 apps (runs on WIn 8 Pro, WIn 8 RT) Native = only runs on Win 8 Pro and Win 7, XP, Vista, etc. It had to be an RT app so it'd run on ARM devices. 
  • I don't think Microsoft will agree with you here. They call it Windows Store apps. And there's either Windows 8/Pro and Windows RT. There's no such thing as Windows 8 RT. Also, Apps can be written with native code and they'll work fine with Windows RT (ARM-based devices) as long as one targets the WinRT platform and not the Win32 platform.
  • You're right, this app works on all Windows 8/Windows RT devices. See my comment below.
  • It's a nice looking app. By the way, there's no such thing as "Windows 8 RT", it's either Windows 8 or Windows RT. Windows store apps is more appropriate.
  • Bet you the WP8 version is announced on the 29th.
  • Excellent!! I love it. Lots of apps will get developed for Windows RT and then get ported to Windows Phone 8. Good times ahead for Windows products..
  • I hope so... but apps for Windows 8 will look quite different than Windows Phone 8 (no drop down menu, charms menu, etc.), so hopefully the devs will just make them for both at the same time. Games would probably be easier to port over since the game developers tend to use their own interface anyway. I hope we won't have to pay more than once for the same app to work on both Windows 8 and Windows Phone (and Xbox for that matter--three screens).  iOS allows you to pay once for an app/game and they will work for both iPad and iPhone.  Not all apps, but most of the newer ones.
  • But I'm not sure what incentive a developer would have to develop two apps (for RT and WP8) but not get paid for one of them... WP8 is not projected to command a large percentage of the market (at least initially) so what's the incentive?
    I was thinking Windows 8 and RT would unify everything, but that seems to not really be the case.  From the comment I made earlier and the associated responses, we still have different paradigms for mobile, desktop/laptop, and tablet, and it's up to the kindness of the developer to make apps for all of these paradigms....
  • Yes since we can us a Xbox controller ,I wonder If halo is coming to win rt
  • Halo RT! j/k
  • If there is one app that I am really yearning for it is the opera mini and instagram.
  • Thats two apps ...lol
  • Instagram doesn't count as an app. You can have instagram functionality by swinging your phone camera lens against a stonewall.
  • +1000000
  • I'm not a Hulu subscriber but that is one fantastic and fully featured app!  Really well done- I love how they incorporated the drag down to select a show to get more info.  Of course on a mouse / keyboard setup that will simply be a right click.  Love it - maybe I'll subscribe now!
     
  • Yes I cannot view the Flash video from my WP and that's why I'd like to have Hulu app. Come out with it already.
  • This is the message that microsoft just lacks in telling. Show how its simple it is.
  • Don't care about Hulu but it's nice to have this
  • Apparently they rolled it back in? I get "This app is no longer available" at the link.
  • That's VERY nice interface except for one puzzling action... why do I have to tap and drag down to initiate the popup menu? Just let me touch on it and show the menu?
  • tapping on the tile plays the video in the player, swiping on the tile allows you to get info without having to leave the current page
  • Not tryna braggg or anythaaanggg. But when someone sees that app playing video and then have twitter or facebook app opened on your side, and you're interacting with both. Whos gonna want an android tablet...?
  • They would really have to change the format for it to work on a phone...
  • Cool! I recently contacted Hulu about a week or 2 ago and they told me "Thanks for writing in with your interest in using Hulu Plus on Windows Phone 7. We get a lot of requests for this platform, so it's definitely on our radar. While we can't support it just yet, it is our goal to be on as many devices as possible, so we will be continually adding new devices to our lineup based on user demand."  So who knows...I'm happy to see it come to windows RT though.  Clarity Consulting made a concept for the hulu app on windows phone but to my understanding hulu never went anywhere with it.  If you want to see it just do a bing search "hulu windows phone app"