YouTube Bringing Free Picture-in-Picture to iPhone Users Outside the U.S.

[MacRumors]

YouTube's picture-in-picture mode on the iPhone and iPad is expanding to more users worldwide, YouTube said today. Picture-in-picture (PiP) will be rolling out globally, so it will no longer be limited to those in the U.S. and Premium subscribers.

Non-Premium users worldwide will be able to use PiP for longform, non-music content on iOS and Android. This has already been available in the U.S. and to Premium subscribers globally, so there will be no change for those users.

Premium Lite members can still use PiP for longform, non-music content, and Premium members can use PiP for music and non-music content.

Picture-in-picture shrinks a video into a small player that can be used alongside other apps. To use PiP, swipe up to exit the YouTube app, and the video will continue to play in a small window that can be moved anywhere on the display.

The PiP changes are rolling out "in the coming months," according to YouTube.

Article Link: YouTube Bringing Free Picture-in-Picture to iPhone Users Outside the U.S.

 

[code-m]

First it was part of the pay plan, then removed and now it’s back for free. Did I get all that correct?

 

[MacMcNugget]

Looks like they finally figured out that picture-in-picture can also be used to serve ads 😂

 

[risenphoenixkai]

Finally. A third party paywalling OS-level features on my device shouldn’t have been a thing in the first place.

 

[Radeon85]

Locking a basic feature that's built into the OS behind a paywall is disgusting. Apple should have banned the YT app early on for doing that until they reversed their decision.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Locking a basic feature that's built into the OS behind a paywall is disgusting. Apple should have banned the YT app early on for doing that until they reversed their decision.

Agreed.

This is clearly a case of special treatment for a megacorp with leverage over Apple here.

It's a bummer.

 

[goobot]

Locking a basic feature that's built into the OS behind a paywall is disgusting. Apple should have banned the YT app early on for doing that until they reversed their decision.

Yea apple shouldn't allow a dev to pay wall an os feature.

 

[HiVolt]

I hope it's also via browser. I despise the youtube app.

 

[QuarterSwede]

I hope it's also via browser. I despise the youtube app.

You can use a content blocker to allow PiP and therefore background playback already in browser for YT. I use Wipr. Haven’t seen an ad in I don’t know how long. Pretty great for the occasional concert too.

 

[rjp1]

Disgusting that they break an OS feature and not a peep from Apple. And, then to ask for money to “fix” it. Shame on Apple for not doing the right thing here.

If I’m listening to just the audio, then I start the video, swipe up, and pull down from top right. The video pauses itself and then I tap on play as soon as it does. You have a brief time to do it before it disappears.

If it’s a video, then I just use a Safari plugin to break Google’s breaking of PIP. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

 

[platinumaqua]

I've already deleted the app and switched to browser usage because of the ads and feature locking

 

[vegetassj4]

My life now finally has meaning

 

[pdaholic]

A little vinegar makes YouTube less bitter.

 

[ReliableSource]

Using 1Blocker, PiPifier, and Stop the Madness make YouTube bearable; every time I try to watch a YT video on my Apple TV I realize how much better I have it on the browser.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Using 1Blocker, PiPifier, and Stop the Madness make YouTube bearable; every time I try to watch a YT video on my Apple TV I realize how much better I have it on the browser.

Yep.
In Firefox I use uBlock Origin, Enhancer for YouTube & Control Panel for YouTube and it's better than it ever was as a YT Premium member.

 

[HuskerNKS]

Yep.
In Firefox I use uBlock Origin, Enhancer for YouTube & Control Panel for YouTube and it's better than it ever was as a YT Premium member.

Damn, I am still paying them for Premium. Time to do some research.