YouTube Update: Resizable Miniplayer, Sleep Timer, and Other Features
A number of updates are being made to YouTube that enhance current features while adding new ones to the video streaming service. A resizable miniplayer, a new sleep timer, and the ability to adjust playback speed are among the “over two dozen” changes that the Alphabet-owned company is releasing. The browser interface, YouTube Music, and the YouTube TV and mobile apps will all include the majority of these functions. Voting on videos in playlists is one of the additional features that should be added later this year.
YouTube Gets Resizable Miniplayer and Sleep Timer
A new sleep timer that lets users program YouTube to automatically pause video playback is one of the most significant updates coming to the platform. All users will eventually have access to this feature, which was previously only available to Premium subscribers. YouTube keeps the device’s screen on when playing videos, and the autoplay feature can keep the phone operating for a while. This will be helpful for users who often fall asleep while viewing videos only to wake up to a dead battery.
YouTube’s video miniplayer has also been upgraded, allowing users to move or resize it on the screen. With the most recent version, you can move the mobile video player from the bottom right corner of the screen to any corner while you browse the app for other movies.
Future Updates for the YouTube App on TV
According to the business, the YouTube app for smart TVs is getting a new look and a “more cinematic feel” thanks to UI enhancements. Through the freshly launched immersive channel pages, YouTube will automatically play a sample of the creator’s work while you browse the channel.
While watching vertical videos on the site, viewers may now view comments or shop content thanks to an update to the YouTube Shorts video player on TV. YouTube claims that these won’t detract from the viewing experience and that they show up on the right side of the center-aligned player.
Improvements to YouTube Collaboration and Creator Badges
Soon, it will be simpler to create collaborative playlists and provide other users a special URL. A new QR code functionality that enables users to join and collaborate on playlists fast will be added in a future update to the YouTube app for TV. YouTube will also let viewers “vote” on videos in a playlist in the upcoming months, which will move their favorites to the top of the playlist. The voting icons appear to be modeled after those on Reddit.
According to YouTube, users will soon be able to earn “badges” by doing quizzes or becoming one of the first subscribers to a creator’s channel to pay. Similar to this, YouTube Music users will receive badges when they become a top listener for an artist or when a creator loves their comment. It is anticipated that users will be able to access these badges throughout the “next several weeks”.
