Washington, December 30
YouTube is currently testing a new feature aimed at enhancing user experience through its mobile app, particularly for those moments when users are unsure of what to watch next.
The feature, a floating "Play Something" button, has been spotted in the YouTube app for Android, allowing users to instantly play a random video by simply tapping the button, as per The Verge.
The floating "Play Something" button sits just above the bottom bar of the YouTube app, providing a convenient way to discover content without having to browse through endless recommendations.
Upon tapping the button, the app automatically selects a video and begins playing it, offering a more spontaneous and streamlined experience.
In a twist to its earlier versions, this new button utilizes the portrait-oriented YouTube Shorts player to display videos.
Regardless of whether the selected video is a regular YouTube video or a Shorts clip, the format is optimized for viewing in the Shorts player, offering a vertically oriented interface.
While this works well for Short-form content, users hope that future updates may allow for the full-screen display of regular videos as well.
While YouTube has been experimenting with various versions of this random video selector for over a year, including previous iterations like a "Play Something" banner and a simple button resembling the black-and-white YouTube logo, the latest floating button design is the most refined.
Currently, it remains in testing phases, and it's unclear when or if the feature will receive a full rollout, as per The Verge.