YouTube Premium subscribers are in for a treat with the rollout of five new features designed to enhance their viewing experience. These features, announced in a blog post by YouTube on Thursday, include two widely available features for Android users and three experimental ones that users can opt into. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of these exciting updates.
Jump Ahead: Skipping to the Good Parts
One of the most notable additions is the Jump Ahead feature, which began rolling out in May. This feature allows users to skip directly to the “best” parts of a video, bypassing less engaging sections. By double-tapping the video, users can activate the Jump Ahead button, which uses a combination of AI and viewership data to identify the most interesting parts of the video. Currently, this feature is available for Android users and is expected to reach iPhone users within the next few weeks.
Picture-in-Picture for YouTube Shorts
Another handy feature for Android users is the new picture-in-picture (PIP) mode for YouTube Shorts. This multitasking option lets users shrink the Shorts video window to the corner of their screen, allowing them to use other apps simultaneously. Whether you’re checking emails, browsing social media, or engaging in other activities, you can keep an eye on the playing Shorts video without interruption.
Experimental Features: Enhancing Engagement
YouTube is also introducing three experimental features that require users to opt in at youtube.com/new. These features are designed to enhance user engagement and provide more personalized experiences.
- Smart Downloads for YouTube Shorts:
- This feature automatically downloads a new selection of YouTube Shorts videos to your Android phone for offline viewing. Users can access these downloads in the Smart Downloads section of YouTube’s Downloads screen. This feature is available for testing until July 15.
- Conversational AI:
- YouTube is bringing back its Conversational AI feature, which can answer questions about the video you’re watching, suggest related videos, and perform other tasks. To use this feature in YouTube’s Android app, tap the Ask option below supported videos. The AI option is available for testing until July 13 and is currently limited to users in the US and English-language videos.
- Redesigned Watch Page for Web:
- Premium subscribers can also try out a redesigned watch page on the YouTube website. This new interface aims to make it easier to find related content and engage with comments. Although YouTube has not shared many details, users can opt-in to experience this updated design.
Growing the YouTube Premium Community
YouTube Premium offers a range of benefits, including ad-free viewing, offline playback, and access to YouTube Music Premium. As of February, YouTube reported that its Premium and Music services have reached 100 million subscribers. Despite this success, YouTube continues to introduce new features and combat ad blockers to attract more users to its paid services.