YouTube

Following the announcement last week, YouTube has widely rolled out the new miniplayer on Android and a redesign of mobile settings.

YouTube Premium is pricey, but Google is slowly starting to expand a “Premium Lite” plan to more countries with a price that’s roughly half off.

In addition to a slew of new features, the YouTube UI is getting some design updates across mobile, web, and TV. These visual improvements, including a subtle frosted glass effect, aim to “simplify” YouTube.

YouTube is making official a number of updates that it’s been testing in recent months, like the new miniplayer and several design updates.

YouTube has updated how the “skip” button works with ads, and it may no longer appear right away.

YouTube for Android TV has a new dual-column channel side menu that obscures less of the content you’re trying to watch.

YouTube’s constant evolution on Android TV continues unabated, with an updated ‘slight’ “Who’s watching” account switcher launch screen.

Over the past few hours, YouTube appears to have accidentally removed channels and banned accounts for violating its “spam, deceptive practices, and scams policy” even for users that have never uploaded videos in what looks to be a bug. 

On Saturday, YouTube and YouTube Music lost a ton of songs, but a deal with SESAC has now been reached and removed content is soon returning.

Due to a licensing dispute with SESAC, a ton of songs have been removed from YouTube and YouTube Music in the US. YouTube remains in “active conversations with SESAC and are hoping to reach a new deal as soon as possible.”

YouTube has started rolling out its conversational AI feature that can answer questions about the video you’re already watching. The newly available feature will only be available for those who pay for YouTube Premium and use an Android device to watch.

With numerous recorded price increases, YouTube Premium is set for another price hike in a number of European regions.

YouTube for Android is rolling out a transparent status bar that makes for a nice qualify-of-life improvement.

At Made on YouTube 2024, Google announced the latest features for Creators that also enhance the viewer experience.

Google is well known for tinkering, but the latest change is a fused ‘like’ and ‘dislike’ button in the YouTube app for Android TV.

YouTube is adding a new format for ads on your TV which shows up when you pause the video, and that’s starting to roll out to users.

Following handles for easier IDs and mentions, YouTube now offers QR codes as another way to share channels.

The latest change to YouTube mobile includes an easier way to share a specific timestamp or clip from a video via the in-app share sheet.

Compared to other Google apps, YouTube maintains its own mobile design language. That looks to be continuing, with YouTube testing a blurred bottom bar on Android.

YouTube is testing out a new sleep timer in its mobile app and on desktop that stops playback after a set period of time.