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You can't skip YouTube's new 6-second 'bumper' ads

The new ad style, aimed at mobile users, is an attempt to adapt to our changing viewing habits.

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Here come the ads.
YouTube screenshot by Andrew Gebhart/CNET

Get ready to wait for your YouTube video to start. Not long, mind you, but there'll be a wait.

Starting in May, you'll see new unskippable, 6-second "bumper" ads before certain YouTube videos. These ads are aimed at mobile users, so they will likely occur most frequently when watching on your phone or tablet.

The new ads won't replace the old format. Instead, Google-owned YouTube says advertisers should see them as a way to catch the viewers' attention and complement more traditional commercials. Think of them as "little haikus of video ads," Zach Lupei, a product manager, said in a blog post Tuesday.

Given that you usually have to wait five seconds before you can skip a regular ad on YouTube, there won't be much of a tangible difference.

Still, I reserve my right to be annoyed.