YouTube lines up its latest hit
A major YouTube mobile update allows people to browse other videos while watching, to search and watch playlists, and to queue videos on connected devices.
Google began a slow rollout on Monday of a major update to its YouTube app for Android, with other mobile YouTube app updates coming later.
A Google representative told CNET that the slow rollout was intentional and not a leak of the app's installer file, or APK.
YouTube 5.0 for Android includes several features to make the app more like watching YouTube on the Web and, in some cases, surpass the Web experience. Google confirmed that the updated YouTube app is expected to reach the Google Play store sometime Tuesday morning. YouTube for iOS is also expected to update soon.
In addition to the new logo and the redesigned interface that cribs heavily from Google's new "house style," the app features three main new features.
You now can swipe down while watching a video to keep playing the video while browsing for other videos. It shrinks the video to the lower right corner, while the main browsing interface takes up the rest of the screen. Swiping up restores the video, while swiping left or right will close the video.
Another major new feature is that you can browse and play video playlists in the app. As YouTube inadvertently became the Internet's unofficial jukebox, playlists have become one of the site's most popular options.
Video queuing is now available on connected devices that use the Cast button, such as the new Chromecast, Google TV, and PlayStation 3. When you're streaming a video to a connected device with the Cast button, you'll be able to browse and either play your selected video immediately or queue up another one to watch next.