Users can enable a “subtle effect so the app backdrop colour adjusts to fit the video” after the theme has been activated. For those who are curious, YouTube’s Ambient Mode really colours both the status bar and the strip that displays the video’s title beneath the player on your phone. When the dark theme is activated, Ambient Mode is accessible on both the web and mobile devices. The same theming is also used by Google in playlists as part of a card that displays “more information about each playlist so viewers can simply jump in.” The Ambient Mode will resemble the following:
Additionally, the pinch-to-zoom function is also coming to the YouTube app and will be available starting today in landscape mode on both iOS and Android. On both desktop and mobile devices, users will also have access to precise searching, and they may “drag or swipe up while seeking to display a row of thumbnails in the video player.” Moving on, YouTube has included several buttons inside of little tablets. Users will now be able to subscribe, share, download, save, and give anything a thumbs up or down. The latter will also have greater contrast, and YouTube believes that even if the button is no longer red, it will still be “easier to find and way more accessible.” Finally, buttons will replace the YouTube links in video descriptions. These upgrades are a good addition, but YouTube has been working hard on other aspects of its platform lately. Most recently, it raised the cost of the family-friendly Premium package and tried charging for 4K streaming. The site also introduced new handles that will offer creators a distinct identity on the network and promised to split ad income with Shorts makers. The new improvements revealed today will be intriguing, especially if you’re a frequent YouTube user. YouTube has consistently changed, for better or worse.
