After previewing it a few weeks back, and testing variations with different users, YouTube has now unveiled its newly formatted YouTube TV app, which enables users to minimize the size of the playback window, in order to engage with other elements of the YouTube experience.

The YouTube TV display will primarily remain in full-screen format, but users will now be able to reduce the video screen to reveal the other functions, like comments, product links, channel access, etc.

As explained by YouTube:

“What users will be able to see on their TVs is a design solution that keeps the video front and center, but layers in the ability to access the features that make YouTube unique - all without interrupting the viewing experience.”

YouTube says that the new design will also make it easier to access features like video descriptions, while also facilitating future development opportunities, like “viewing live scores for sports fans”.

The updated format also better aligns with how people use their TV remote to navigate the app, based on user research, and should facilitate improved engagement across the board, within all of the various elements.

Connected TV viewing has become a key growth element for the app, with people now cumulatively watching more than a billion hours of YouTube content on their TVs every day. Nielsen recently also announced that YouTube was the top streaming platform by watch time in 2023, underlining the growth of the platform as a key entertainment option.

With this in mind, it makes sense for YouTube to lean into TV viewing, and these new features are better aligned with how people consume YouTube content on bigger screens, while also providing more options for future development.  

YouTube says the updated YouTube TV app is rolling out to all users over the next few weeks.