YouTube App Updated With Fullscreen Playback for Vertical Videos

[MacRumors]

While a fully redesigned YouTube app with Google's Material Design, an emphasis on subscriptions and creation tools is coming soon to iOS, YouTube has, in the interim, issued a minor update to its current app with fullscreen playback for vertical videos.

Vertical videos are videos that are shot in portrait mode on smartphones. Previously, viewing a vertical video in the YouTube app added two black bars to the sides of the video, shrinking the actual image and making it difficult to view. Now, vertical videos play in full screen the same way they were filmed, allowing users to have a better experience on mobile devices.

YouTube is a universal app available for free on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Article Link: YouTube App Updated With Fullscreen Playback for Vertical Videos

 

[DJTaurus]

Is it so difficult for them to add audio continues play outside the app.......?.... the most requested feature.

 

[arian19]

Omg YouTube!! Don't encourage them! Just as I thought the tides were shifting in favor of horizontal...

 

[AnsonX10]

Don't encourage vertical video Google! Accommodating bad video practices is not a good practice in general. It's prejudice against people that like to use their phones sideways! Soon we'll have to buy 9:16 aspect ratio TVs to view 9:16 broadcast TV. lol

 

[Westside guy]

I'm not sure this counts as "progress"...

 

[TheLondonFella]

Can someone please tell me WHY they refuse to put on-screen volume controls in their app??

It's the only reason I don't use it, and instead prefer TubeEx.

It may sound trivial, but it's really irritating when you have to continually search for the volume buttons when watching stuff in bed, for example.

I'd say this is the most requested feature of the app.

With regards to background playing, that one is simple: They don't want YouTube to be used as a free music app ...

 

[TheLondonFella]

Is it so difficult for them to add audio continues play outside the app.......?.... the most requested feature.

Use TubeEx, instead ...

 

[CarlJ]

A required Public Service Announcement on Vertical Video Syndrome:

 

[CarlJ]

The bit I really wish they'd fix, is they'll cheerfully let me put more videos in my "watch later" list than they'll let me access via the app. So I can't watch the most recently added videos on that list, yet that's the one list they make it super easy to add videos to. Hmm.

 

[caliguy]

Omg YouTube!! Don't encourage them! Just as I thought the tides were shifting in favor of horizontal...

I don't think that the tendency for people to hold their phones vertically whilst videoing is going to go away.
I do wish, though, that Apple et al would work some magic in their native camera apps; i.e. if a vertical video is sensed via the accelerometer, capture a full frame horizontal image. Hopefully this will come with 4K tech.

 

[JesterJJZ]

Smartphones should've never allowed it to begin with.

 

[Liebo]

Smartphones should've never allowed it to begin with.

Smartphones, dumb people...

 

[DJTaurus]

Use TubeEx, instead ...

They force you to create a youtube channel and Google+ profile.....f@#$%!ng hate Google.

 

[caliguy]

Use TubeEx, instead ...

Or Safari. You just have to swipe up Mission Control and continue playing.

 

[Reason077]

Please, just say NO to vertical video!

YouTube may be able to fix their app, but how are they going to fix my iMac, MacBook, TV, and a million other widescreen devices out there?

 

[orbital~debris]

Smartphones should've never allowed it to begin with.

I'm so used to the "Steve would never have allowed this" posts/meme that this is how I read your post on first glance!

 

[Zxxv]

Is it so difficult for them to add audio continues play outside the app.......?.... the most requested feature.

agreed. You can use youtube in safari. thats a way to do it.

 

[Jsameds]

Is it so difficult for them to add audio continues play outside the app.......?.... the most requested feature.

If you're jailbroken there's a plugin called YouTubed that allows you to do this.

 

[thekeyring]

Omg YouTube!! Don't encourage them! Just as I thought the tides were shifting in favor of horizontal...

Exactly! I'll never understand why people take portrait photos / videos of things like bands playing.

 

[jdillings]

Is it so difficult for them to add audio continues play outside the app.......?.... the most requested feature.

Isn't that a feature of their upcoming pay service?

 

[Benjamin Frost]

One is less likely to drop one's phone when held vertically.

As such, it is good that YouTube is making vertical video more user-friendly.

What I'd like to see is Apple introducing the ability to record horizontal video when held vertical. I know there is a third party app that does this, but it would be good to see it built in.

 

[Imory]

I don't think that the tendency for people to hold their phones vertically whilst videoing is going to go away.
I do wish, though, that Apple et al would work some magic in their native camera apps; i.e. if a vertical video is sensed via the accelerometer, capture a full frame horizontal image. Hopefully this will come with 4K tech.

There's an app that does exactly that, called Horizon. It's really well made too. If anything it'd be interesting if Apple could integrate that natively or acquire the company.

 

[Defender2010]

This update fixes issues with iOS 9 betas where the video would not play for ages.

 

[Ferc Kast]

Exactly! I'll never understand why people take portrait photos / videos of things like bands playing.

Portrait pictures are just for that: Portraits. In fact, I recall that all my school pictures, aside from my senior pictures, were taken in portrait orientation. Horizontal pictures do serve their purpose to let you see more of the surroundings, which is why I tend to it use it for landscape pictures a lot. Portrait videos, on the other hand, serve no real purpose and mainly the result of those "holding [their camera, phone, etc] the wrong way."

 

[MrGuder]

Can someone post a video of how this works? I don't feel like searching you tube for a vertical video to try the new app.