Google has announced a new version of its YouTube app for the iPhone and iPod touch, as the company reacts to Apple's decision last month to drop an embedded YouTube app from the iOS6 platform.

The new app is available for download from Apple's App Store. For the first time the app will feature advertising. Other new features include thousands of additional videos, a new channel guide, search tool and more ways of sharing content via social networks. The app will no longer come pre-loaded on the latest iPhone, a reflection of the wider rivalry between itself and Google.

Nevertheless, mobile devices generate a growing amount of traffic for YouTube, a fact that Google is eager to leverage by adding to YouTube’s features. The video service already carries advertising on its mobile website and on the Android version of the app, so extending advertising to the Apple version should not be surprising.

In addition to “tens of thousands” of more videos, YouTube says a new channel guide enables users to access their subscribed channels. A new search tool offers suggestions while the user is typing and then lets them sort through videos or channels. And users can share favourite videos from YouTube on Google +, Facebook or send texts from within the app, as well as share via Twitter and email.

A version of the YouTube app for the iPad will be available “in the coming months”, says YouTube.