You can opt in or out of different experiments.
What you need to know
- YouTube is giving users quick access to new experimental features through the Android app.
- Users can opt in and out of new features like comment translations and Picture-in-Picture.
- The feature appears to be available only for YouTube Premium subscribers.
YouTube isn’t shy about experimenting with new features in its app, and now users will be able to try them out with just a click of a button from the mobile app.
Android Police spotted a new banner in the YouTube in the app for Premium subscribers that gives them quick access to experimental features. It can be found in the YouTube app under “Your Premium benefits” and a little section inviting you to “try new features.”
So far, it appears that two features are available for users to try out; one that allows comments to be translated with the tap of a button, and another that enables picture-in-picture mode for iOS users.
The page notes that users are only able to try out one feature at a time, although it should be an easy choice for someone with any of the best Android phones, seeing as how picture-in-picture is already available for the platform.
iOS users, on the other hand, should note some limitations of the picture-in-picture mode, such as the inability to keep a video playing while the screen is locked.
These new features are also only available for a limited time. Comment translations will only be trialed until September 9, while PiP will end on October 31.
Previously, users would have to head over to a specific YouTube portal in order to flip on experimental features, but this way makes it easier to access them from a smartphone and provide feedback.
Google recently rolled out several new YouTube search features for the app, allowing users to jump straight into certain parts of videos via a chapter list under the video thumbnail, as well as some automatic translations of video titles and descriptions.
