YouTube

In a blog post this week, YouTube has revealed some efforts to make the platform “more inclusive.” That includes showing a warning when a hateful comment is detected on a YouTube video, giving users the chance to be more “respectful.”

While there are a number of 8K TVs with Android TV support, standard Android TV boxes were capped at 4K when streaming YouTube content — even if higher resolution videos are available on the platform.

YouTube is trialing yet more features as part of its experiments and UI tests, the latest being an easier way to tag a time stamp within video comments.

YouTube’s experiments are regularly testbeds for core features that will eventually come to the video-sharing platform wholesale. Chapters have been a big component for creators for a little while now but needed manual inclusion within a video description. Now time may be saved as YouTube is testing auto-generated video chapters for selected videos.

In honor of Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” music video reaching 1 billion views on YouTube, as well as the song’s cultural impact, YouTube and Google Creative Lab have crafted “Infinite Bad Guy” as “the world’s first infinite music video.”

An update to the YouTube terms of service in the US has potentially altered the way the platform will show ads on content uploaded from channels without monetization enabled or “partner status” on the YouTube Partner Program.

YouTube on mobile has now added a new “Your movies and shows” section that lets you get quick access to all of your previously purchased video content in one convenient place.

YouTube looks set to add audio-only background ads to the video platform but only when you’re listening to content in the background on desktop.

For the past decade, YouTube has closed out the year with a “Rewind” video that recaps viral trends, major moments, and other happening in online culture. However, 2020 will not see a YouTube Rewind as the Google company cites this year’s various circumstances.

For most, YouTube — especially on mobile — is primarily for content consumption. The app can also be used to upload video or go live, and Google is now better emphasizing that with a giant “create” button in YouTube for Android and later iOS.

While it’s relatively rare for Google services to go offline, the phenomenon does occasionally occur. YouTube and YouTube TV (in the US) are currently down, with videos not playing.

Compared to most other video players, Google is relatively unique for letting users set the specific playback resolution. YouTube is now testing “Video quality preferences” that simplify the selection.

YouTube’s Premium and Music Premium subscriptions continue to add more members, and the Google company now has an interesting “Your Premium benefits” page with stats to quantify your usage.

While you’re primarily on YouTube for videos, some creators put a lot of additional information in the Description. YouTube is now testing a new fullscreen Descriptions interface on Android.

Back in February, Google provided an update on YouTube Music/Premium and YouTube TV subscribers. During Q3 2020 earnings, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai announced 30 million, ad-free paying members and another million for the cord-cutting service.