After years of being denied the multi-channels of Mobile Foxtel, iPhone users can finally watch Pay TV on the go.
However, the more notable announcement is that the iPhone mobile experience will be delivered via a new and enhanced video stream by Telstra.
Using Telstra's extensive NextG network, 30 channels of Foxtel programming will be made available to iPhone owners. Monthly packages ($12 - $18/month) and day passes ($4) will stream at double the regular Mobile Foxtel speed over the network.
And although that might not sound like anything special - it's a decent step in the right direction for those of us who have actually used Foxtel Mobile before.
While Mobile Foxtel makes a great public transport alternative to reading the newspaper, it's not exactly a lighting fast multimedia experience - with most trouble stemming from video buffering issues and missed frames.
But thanks to the recent June 3.01 OS update for the iPhone, iPhone users can take advantage of channels such as ABC TV, MTV and Sky News.
The enhanced video stream is almost double the speed of Mobile Foxtel streams delivered other NextG handsets - at 220kb/sec, and it plays over the iPhone in stereo via QVGA.
By comparison, Telstra's other NextG handsets are currently configured to stream the Mobile Foxtel channels at a more sluggish 128kbp/sec, although some specialty HTC handsets can already get 176kb/sec.
The iPhone will also be switching over to Bigpond TV tomorrow, a Telstra-owned multimedia selection of sports, news and local TV content, offered in addition to the Foxtel Mobile offering.
Telstra spokesperson Peter Habib told PC Authority that the iPhone is well placed to take full advantage of Telstra's new mobile streaming applications; although they had bad news for the rest of us. Habib told us that Telstra have no firm timeline to release the enhanced mobile stream to other handsets.
Be sure to check out our Mobile Foxtel buyer's guide here.