Vimeo update brings back Search to iPad, adds video actions

Vimeo 4.0.6 for iOS (iPad screenshot 002)

Vimeo, the popular video-sharing service, has updated its free iPhone and iPad application by bringing back the search feature to the iPad and adding the ability to tap and hold video thumbnails to share, download “and do other fun stuff”.

Though originally part of the experience, the ability to search for videos got inexplicably removed as part of Vimeo’s major iOS 7 overhaul.

The team re-enabled search on iPhone and iPod touch devices in mid-October and now the feature is finally making a comeback on iPads…

To search for interesting Vimeos on your iPad, just drag down on the Vimeo home screen to reveal the search box, like this.

Vimeo 4.0.6 for iOS (iPad screenshot 003)

Searching is available from My Feed, My Like, Staff Picks and other sections, like the recently-added Incoming feed.

Unfortunately – in what’s becoming a worrisome trend – the app’s settings dropped a switch telling the program to download offline videos only when on Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi/Cellular option was added to Vimeo’s Sync Settings in mid-November and removing it won’t play nice with the people who are on a metered cellular data plan.

Vimeo 4.0.6 for iOS (iPad screenshot 004)

Disabling Vimeo in Settings > General > Background App Refresh could sort out this issue, though I don’t see how removing the said option from in-app settings helps enrich the user experience.

Tapping and holding a video thumbnail in the Vimeo list will now produce a grid of icons offering access to handy sharing features and more.

Vimeo 4.0.6 for iOS (iPhone screenshot 001)

From left to right: you can like a video, add it to your Watch Later list, share it (the mail icon – hello?) via Messages, Mail, Twitter, Facebook and URL or download the clip so you could watch it later without an Internet connection.

On a related note, check out Vimeo’s top 10 videos of 2013.

Vimeo is available free in the App Store.

The app requires an iDevice with iOS 7.0 or later.

I wish they squashed the bugs – Vimeo crashes quite a lot on my iOS 7 devices.