YouTube gives users more reason to stay on the app with a brand new interface

YouTube has just rolled out a number of updates that the company claims will improve the look and performance of the popular video player on desktop and on mobile devices.

The Platform recently celebrated its 17th anniversary, and hopes that a “small makeover” will increase user experience, though UX Director, Nate Koechley, mentioned the company “gathered input from thousands of viewers around the world.”

“Starting today, we are rolling out a new look and several features that offer a more modern and immersive viewing experience while also improving how users watch videos,” the company said, in a blog post.

Changes to the interface include the addition of an effect called “ambient mode,” which employs dynamic colour sampling to make a modest adjustment to the app’s backdrop colour so that it matches the video being played.

YouTube clarified that this function will be accessible on both the desktop and mobile dark theme versions of YouTube.

Regarding the dark theme, YouTube says it has been modified to make it look even more darker.

The purpose of this change is to make the colour stand out more on the screen, as was explained in the blog post, and the feature will eventually be made available on mobile devices, desktop computers, and smart televisions.

YouTube’s video playlists will also be updated visually in light of the aforementioned colour adjustments. The platform will also provide additional information about each playlist, allowing users to more quickly find what they’re looking for.

YouTube is also turning video descriptions into buttons and rearranging common actions like “like,” “share,” and “download” to make them less distracting. In addition, the subscribe button is getting a new shape and a lot of contrast to make it stand out.

The Platform is also introducing – on iOS and Android devices – a new pinch-to-zoom feature that will make it easier to zoom in and out of a video. When you pinch in on a video, the view stays magnified even when you release your finger, so you can see the rest of the video in crisp high definition.

The platform now also has precise seeking, a new feature that enables users to make pinpoint modifications to play only the desired segment of a video. You may access it by dragging or swiping up while seeking on desktop or mobile.

YouTube has said that these changes will rolled out gradually to all users in the coming few weeks, though an exact timeline is not available.

Last week, the platform rolled out “YouTube Handles”, says it is making it easier for members of the community to find and connect with each other.

“Your handle will be unique to your channel and will be how people mention you in comments, community posts, and more. new way to identify your YouTube channel,” the company noted in an email received by Innovation Village.