The YouTube app is getting a new media player that will make it easier to watch videos while searching for the next one. Here’s how it works.
Those who watch a lot of YouTube videos on their mobile phones may find themselves searching for a new video to watch while the current one is still playing. YouTube is now testing a new in-app media player that is even more convenient for this.
In the current app, the video you are watching still appears at the bottom of the screen in a fixed bar with a pause button next to it, but thanks to 9to5Google we know that a new media player may be coming. It is a ‘floating’ window that appears on the screen when you resize a video. This window is more like a picture-in-picture media player, meaning that you can place it anywhere on the screen.
The media player also has more functionalities. For example, there are – in addition to the pause button – two buttons to rewind or fast forward ten seconds. You can also adjust the size of the window. With the cross in the corner you remove the window.
It is useful if you are scrolling through YouTube, for example, looking for nice videos. The video that is being played continues to play in the new floating window. The old player could do that too, of course, but here you adjust the location yourself, so that the video does not get in the way.
As far as we know, the new media player is only in the YouTube app. YouTube (Premium) users on Android can also play videos with a picture-in-picture window outside the app. It’s not clear if that will also get this makeover, including handy media keys.
The new feature is being tested with a small number of users, so don’t stress if you don’t see it on your smartphone. Do you have the feature? Let us know via our tip form.
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Source: www.androidplanet.nl
