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YouTube for Android testing ‘Play something’ FAB

After rolling out a round of design updates and new features to the mobile app, YouTube is testing a “Play something” FAB.

This floating action button says “Play something” and has a play icon. It’s white text on a black background that stands out a great deal.

Tapping starts a video in the Shorts player. However, this is not exclusive to YouTube Shorts and will play regular content in that portrait interface with large buttons for like, dislike, comments, and sharing at the right, while you get a timeline scrubber at the bottom.

When the miniplayer is active, the Play something button does disappear.

The use of a FAB is interesting, but does make thematic sense since it lets you initiate the main content consumption purpose of the app. It presumably takes into account your video preferences.

YouTube has been testing this feature since last year, but this most recent report of the Play something FAB comes from version 19.50 for Android.

More on YouTube:

Thanks Leonardo

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com

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