YouTube mobile gets touch blocking, audio equalization and other new features
Miscellaneous / / October 18, 2023
The “Library” section has also improved.
YouTube announced a number of new functions and design changes that will begin to appear for all users of the mobile version of the application starting today.
In the application settings you can now select sound stabilization: it will even out large changes in volume so that you don’t have to touch the volume rocker every few seconds.
For those who like to speed up boring video segments, we added the ability to pinch anywhere on the screen to double the playback speed. If you release your finger, the speed will return to 1x. The function appeared on smartphones, tablets and in the web version of the service. For those who usually do not speed up, but rewind parts of the video, the size of the preview icons has been increased.
It will also be possible to lock the screen on smartphones and tablets so that you don’t accidentally touch the screen. This will be especially useful for parents who give the gadget to their children.
The "Library" section is now called "You" and offers a more convenient organization of content: history views and playlists can now be scrolled directly from the main section without going to the corresponding tabs. The new design also makes the account icon stand out better. This change will also appear in the web version.
An analogue of Shazam will appear on Android devices - the ability to sing the words or tune of a song whose name you can’t remember. The feature is expected in the coming weeks, but it's unclear when it will come to iOS.
Content authors will also receive new tools. When they ask to like the video and subscribe to the channel, the corresponding buttons will light up, and when clicked, a special animation will appear. Another new animation displays likes and views in real time in the first 24 hours after a video is posted.
We also changed how the video description looks on Smart TV:
It is noted that new functions will become available to users around the world in the near future. After this, work on improvements will continue: in particular, the developers want to rework the YouTube Kids application.
More Google innovations💻
- New Chrome feature shows how much RAM each tab is using
- Mobile Chrome has learned to fix errors in links
- Google may add a Discover feed and other widgets to the main search page