YouTube is testing a new UI design for the Android app that resembles the current Smart TV UI.
While YouTube is one of the best streaming apps available on smartphones, that doesn't mean Google is done changing it. A recent report by 9to5 Google Mishaal Rahman says that Google is currently A/B testing a new UI for the Android version of the app, and some of the testers have been very vocal about the changes. For instance, two users named DefinitionIcy4835 and Lumpy-Firefighter155 have taken to Reddit to voice their dislike.
In regards to what has changed, there's a fair amount. Firstly the video title has been moved to the above the progress bar while the channel icon and subscriber count have also been moved next to the channel name, and the view count and publish date are below it. Meanwhile, the expand button is now in the top left and next to it is a rotate button plus a second playlist button has replaced the expand button above the progress bar.
Another change is that the forward and back buttons have been removed while in fullscreen, and the video is playing, appearing if you pause the video. The audience interaction buttons (likes, dislikes, comment and share) have all been moved to above the progress bar on the right side and the likes/dislikes numbers are below the symbols.
Meanwhile, the bookmark button is now hidden under the menu, while the remix button is shown by default. You can also see the video chapters on the bottom left of the screen, next to the pause button.
It isn't just the visuals that could change, as a recent server-side update has also made it possible to swipe up and down to move videos in a playlist. Users can also swipe down to minimize a video if it is either not part of a playlist or is only the first video in one.
YouTube has been seeing a fair few changes in recent months, for instance, the inclusion of AI for Premium users on Android devices that allows users to ask questions about the current video. YouTube has also started to roll out new ads that appear when a video is paused.
To get the best YouTube experience, we recommend subscribing to YouTube Premium to ensure you aren't bombarded with ads.
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