Amazing New Features Coming to YouTube This Year

YouTube plans to launch a number of new features this year, including one that will compete with fast-growing social media platform TikTok. The company’s Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan said that the platform’s upcoming video format called “Shorts” will begin rolling out this year. This feature has proven successful during its trials in India and will subsequently begin launching in other countries from March.

“Since the beginning of December, the number of Indian channels using Shorts creation tools has more than tripled, and the YouTube Shorts player is now receiving more than 3.5 billion daily views globally. In the coming weeks, we’ll begin expanding the beta to the US, unlocking our tools to even more creators so they can get started with Shorts.”

The company also said it would continue to launch monetization products to help creators make money from their content. The platform has also been testing a new applause feature which allows fans to show support for their favourite YouTube channels.

“This feature unlocks new monetization opportunities for creators’ uploads, and we’re looking forward to launching this more broadly to creators this year.” Other changes that the company is planning to make this year include new features related to the YouTube interface and YouTube TV.

Mohan said YouTube is constantly working on making its applications easier to navigate across all platforms. “Last year, we launched video chapters to help viewers more easily navigate within a video. We’ll soon expand this feature to automatically add video chapters to relevant videos.”

Whether you’re an avid content consumer, a creator, a business- or a brand-builder, here’s what you need to know about what’s coming to YouTube in 2021.

• YouTube TV in 4K: While still only available in the United States, YouTube TV has grown its user base to 3 million paid subscriptions, and streams more than 85 networks, with unlimited DVR storage. This year, the company will launch 4K TV streaming and the ability to watch DVRed programmes offline.
• Improved YouTube Music recommendations: The company will continue to enhance its music streaming service by offering “more personalized mixes” and improving the discoverability of user-created playlists.
• Better safety measures for children: A new suite of parental tools in YouTube Kids will give families peace of mind when children are using the video platform.
• Enhanced navigation tools: Skip forward to exactly where you want to go in a video using one-click jumps to chapters. Also look out for an improved tablet experience later this year.
• New VR homepage: A new YouTube VR app homepage will launch, featuring improved navigation and functionality.
• Short-form video tools: Currently available in beta in India, YouTube’s Shorts tool “lets creators and artists shoot snappy videos with nothing but their mobile phones.” This tool was designed to help new creators get their channels off the ground easier. The tool will launch in beta in the United States next. 
• New monetization tools: In addition to the YouTube Partner Program, the platform will launch an “applause” feature that allows fans to tip their favourite creators directly. YouTube will also launch an integrated shopping tool so viewers can shop directly from creators without leaving the YouTube ecosystem.