YouTube Testing Autoplaying Videos in Mobile App Home Screen

[MacRumors]

Google is reportedly testing a new feature for the YouTube app in which featured videos on the home screen start to play without the user's permission.

According to AndroidCentral, some users are seeing the first video featured in the Home section automatically play as soon as they open the YouTube app, with subtitles replacing the muted audio.

The video starts from the beginning and plays all the way through if the user allows it, while scrolling further down the Home section causes subsequent videos to also autoplay as they appear on the screen.

While the default behavior is obviously intended to give users a preview of the contents of featured videos, the experimental feature is likely to be seen by some as a distraction, bad news for mobile data limits, or a drain on battery life.

Fortunately, it looks like the autoplay feature can be turned off in Account -> Settings -> General, where a new "Play as you browse" toggle has been added. Toggling the feature also brings up an additional option to only allow autoplay when connected to WiFi, which should go some way to assuage concerns about the feature eating up data allowances.

It's not clear if or when the autoplay feature will be rolled out to all mobile users, but we'll keep an eye out for it in future updates to the official YouTube iOS app.

Article Link: YouTube Testing Autoplaying Videos in Mobile App Home Screen

 

[joueboy]

All these app behaviors running in the background using all our data. I got no problem with that as long that others can turn it on and off. By default it should be off then the user has the choice prompted with warning of possible data overage. My problem is that Apple still put restrictions on downloads despite my unlimited plan.

 

[Kaibelf]

Google and their pushy ad selling nonsense. It’s getting old very very quickly.

 

[Ronald Reagan]

They need to disable the auto-playing of the next random video after a video a watch. There’s no control for this. Annoying in the extreme.

 

[CaTOAGU]

Is there anyone that likes autoplay videos with audio?

 

[hagar]

All these app behaviors running in the background using all our data. I got no problem with that as long that others can turn it on and off. By default it should be off then the user has the choice prompted with warning of possible data overage. My problem is that Apple still put restrictions on downloads despite my unlimited plan.

Apple did what??

 

[Xenc]

This is what happens on other YouTube apps (for example, on PlayStation 4) and it’s actually quite useful.

As long as it doesn’t use mobile data and can be turned off it’s not a big deal.

 

[Xavier]

No. I don't want autoplaying videos on my phone.

 

[BlueCreek]

Apple did what??

He’s referring to the cap Apple have put on app downloads and updates when on cellular

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Is there anyone that likes autoplay videos with audio?

• cell phone partners that make more money on data burn
• advertisers who pay up in hopes you'll watch their message then buy their product
• video creators with business models dependent on advertising, because that's how they get paid to make the videos

 

[YaBe]

Why oh why... I do not want autoplay!!! Apple is doìng everything it can to remove that annoying autoplay, and other company are doing the exact opposite?

 

[Onexy]

Stop trying to waste my time Google!

 

[jclardy]

Is there anyone that likes autoplay videos with audio?

Advertisers.

 

[Maetzle]

They need to disable the auto-playing of the next random video after a video a watch. There’s no control for this. Annoying in the extreme.

There is an auto play-next toggle right under the video (or to the right surfing on a browser), but maybe I misunderstand what you are saying.

 

[EdT]

There is an auto play-next toggle right under the video (or to the right surfing on a browser), but maybe I misunderstand what you are saying.

My problem is that you have to turn this option off if you don't want to burn through your cell data. The default setting should be the option that doesn't automatically use data but that won't be the case here.

 

[riverfreak]

They know that autoplaying videos annoys everyone but keeps user engagement high, and thus increases time-in-app and potential ad revenue. And they also know that no matter how irked you may be, most users will not delete YouTube and stop using the site.

That’s the situation we are in folks. These companies design their UIs for their ad partners, not their users anymore.

 

[Martius]

Google's way to innovate: throw bunch of new features / services / products to the customers and then wait if something turns out to be useful.

Just let me pay a few bucks per month to be able to download YouTube videos for offline viewing via YouTube app and I would be happy. (YouTube RED is not available in my country).

 

[macTW]

Why.

 

[RobinInOR]

Not just mobile data caps, some of us rural folks have caps on our WiFi as well. Just another thing to remember to turn off. Think this deserves writing to them - I’m sure their app has a feedback section/a off to look..
Oh wait, I can’t. You tube is blocked at work lol....

 

[iProd]

Hi Google, **** off.

 

[blacktape242]

yah that will go over well...

 

[Glassed Silver]

Dear God, makes you wish your ProTube keeps working for a another while even more!

Also: whoohoo for being able to backup IPAs locally, because Apple surely doesn't want me to download PT anymore despite me having paid for it. Yeah, everyone trust the cloud!

Glassed Silver:ios

 

[CaTOAGU]

• cell phone partners that make more money on data burn
• advertisers who pay up in hopes you'll watch their message then buy their product
• video creators with business models dependent on advertising, because that's how they get paid to make the videos

True I should have specified do any users like them.

 

[Oblivious.Robot]

Ugh, this sounds horrible.

 

[itsmilo]

Auto play has been the devil of advertisment for years. I cant believe any reasonable company wpuld think this is a good idea. Whats next? Ads overlay before you can even enter sites such as FB on a desktop?