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What you need to know
- YouTube announced that it has started rolling out an "expressive, intuitive" update to its video watching experience across all devices.
- This week, users will notice a refreshed video player, one that's more transparent, so it's less obstructive when watching content.
- YouTube is bringing a "threaded" comments system to videos, as well as a redesigned video saving feature that's easier to manage.
YouTube is in the process of rolling out a huge redesign for its video-watching experience that users on computers and phones will soon see.
YouTube wants to express itself and the videos creators upload by rolling out a new "intuitive experience" this week. According to the post, beginning this week, users on YouTube will soon notice a refreshed video player that's cleaner and "more immersive" across every device capable of running the app. Visually, the new player brings the play/pause button to the center of the bottom control bar.
On the left, users will find the channel's icon and buttons for the description box and "subscribe." The right side features the thumbs up/down buttons, comments, a save icon, CC, and video player settings.
All of these elements (save for the play/pause button) are transparent for the most part. It gives a slightly more modern feel as users won't necessarily miss what's going on behind the UI elements if they happen to activate the player. Other than visual upgrades, YouTube states it's rolling out an update for "Seeking." Double-tapping a video is now "less intrusive" to what you're watching.
Android devices will also receive "seamless transitions." YouTube says mobile users will see better motion when moving between tabs in its app.
Refreshed, revamped, & ready
At times, what makes up the YouTube experience is the comments section. YouTube states it's improving its clarity by introducing "comment threading." This new system is designed to help users easily navigate comments and replies without getting confused or lost while catching up on the conversations.
Saving videos to Watch Later or others for a specific playlist becomes easier, too. YouTube said the saving process has been redesigned, so it's a no-brainer. The final update might catch your eye, as some "select" content could have Custom Like animations. For instance, when liking a music video, the platform states users may see the Like button light up with a music note.
Videos about sports are also expected to get a similar treatment.
YouTube states these updates are rolling out across all devices this week, so users should begin noticing them soon.
The platform's been busy behind the scenes, more so after it announced that users can now join "YouTube Labs." This labs experience is reminiscent of Search Labs from Google, where testers can join and experiment with its in-development AI features before it hits a stable launch. The first YouTube Labs test is out, and brings users into a YouTube Music test for "AI music hosts."
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