How long has it been since the first mobile streaming option was available to consumers? Streaming media has been around awhile and over the years there has been different updates thanks to advancements in technology. With that being said, it has also opened the doors for options where consumers can stream a movie or a television show illegally, or at least without paying for it. Programs like Netflix and Hulu Plus opened doors for people to get away from costly cable bills and move towards something that costs them pennies per day.
There are also mobile applications out on the market that allow users to stream content. Mobile applications like Cartoon HD is one of the more popular right now and just like the name suggests, it allowed users to stream their favorite cartoons on the iPhone or iPad. Since it was launched, the app has added movies and television shows as well, an Android application and now there is ever rumor that it will be available for your desktop.
Clearly the biggest draw for the app was the fact that users did not have to pay for any other content they were streaming in HD. The app worked in a way similar to Netflix and Hulu Plus, but those two applications require a subscription to use. Almost as soon as the Cartoon HD app was available in the iTunes store, it was removed by Apple. If you are selling content for a fee, there is not going to be any love lost for those that are giving it away for nothing.
Apple stepped in after getting complaints about the app and it was removed from the store. Apple said that it was removed because it was offering copyrighted content illegally. Apple went further than just removing the app for new users and blocked the application completely so those that already had it downloaded were not able to use it at all. Shortly after that a fix was released, but now that Apple updated its software, that fix no longer works.
Just like with any other product that gets popular on the internet, there will be copycats out there. That is exactly what happened with the Cartoon HD application. As of right now, there does not look to be any real alternative for the Cartoon HD application. Even though many websites claim to be operated by the developers, they are most likely just trying to fool you into downloading something that you do not want, or just taking your personal information to re-sell to a third party.