YouTube iOS App Removes Apple's Obtrusive Volume Indicator in New Update

[MacRumors]

YouTube has removed the large, default volume indicator from its iOS app, letting users effectively toggle sound controls up and down while in a full-screen video without having to worry about the translucent UI obscuring most of the content. The removal came in version 11.30 of the YouTube app, which began rolling out yesterday. Any time the app is in portrait mode, the regular indicator will still appear.

YouTube's new volume rocker can be located at the top of any full-screen video on iOS​

The obtrusive volume indicator has been an annoyance for many iOS users over the years, since it usually blocks the most crucial aspects of a video when it pops up. The UI is system-wide, so it shows up most places a video is played on an iPhone or iPad -- Photos, for example -- and has been a mainstay in third-party apps as well. Still, many of Apple's first-party apps include a more inconspicuous volume toggle that appears in a widescreen menu along with play, pause, and video scrubbing controls, like in Trailers and Videos.

Thankfully, over the years, some of these third-party apps have managed to combat Apple's UI choice with volume toggles of their own. Snapchat began using its own alternative about a year ago, in the form of a line of thin rectangles at the top of the screen that grow bolder or lighter when users increase or decrease the volume. Instagram's version is more in line with YouTube's now, with a simple black line that indicates soft and loud volume from the left to the right.

The volume indicator for Snapchat (top) and Instagram (bottom)​

In an earlier beta release of iOS 10, some users noticed that the volume UI was gone from the new version of iOS when watching videos, believing its complete removal could possibly be Apple's response to user frustration. However, in subsequent updates the square-shaped HUD has returned, so it appears that the company won't be moving to change this particular part of its mobile operating system when iOS 10 launches in the fall.

Along with the usual bug fixes and performance enhancements, the new update also introduces thumbnails when users scrub through videos on iOS so they can easily find specific scenes. YouTube is available to download for free from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Article Link: YouTube iOS App Removes Apple's Obtrusive Volume Indicator in New Update

 

[SuperKerem]

Finally.

 

[_mdavenport]

Finally. This was a big reason why I didn't use the native app but always went through Safari for YouTube vids

 

[Internet Enzyme]

They should really follow in Android's footsteps with this aspect of their OS. Android has been far ahead of them in this one aspect, considering that apple has never changed the bolume indicator

 

[thisisnotmyname]

I've never found it to be intrusive. I don't change volume repeatedly while watching videos.

 

[brunosh]

Yes, that was (and still is) very annoying! I hope Apple will change that UI now that some big apps are changing it.

 

[dominiongamma]

If we could disable the volume display in iOS that would be good too! Like put it in the settings for us to choose.

 

[Scottsoapbox]

Even moving the huge volume box lower on the screen would be an improvement Apple.

 

[Schwyz]

YES.

Glad to see someone had some sense.

 

[LCPepper]

Finally an update from Google + YouTube where they've made the app better and not worse.

 

[aeronatis]

They should really follow in Android's footsteps with this aspect of their OS. Android has been far ahead of them in this one aspect, considering that apple has never changed the bolume indicator

I completely agree. As much as I like iOS more than Android generally, the volume controls on Android have always been more advanced. Good to see operating systems take notes from each other as a result of their rivalry.

 

[coolfactor]

A solid black horizontal line is not a good UI for volume level, particularly in playback apps that already have a left-to-right scrubber.

 

[T-Will]

Dear Apple, please make this a system-wide change.

 

[Kobbr]

I've never found it to be intrusive. I don't change volume repeatedly while watching videos.

The point is that it's intrusive either way.. It's a huge design flaw and should have been designed differently from the start.

 

[Zirel]

It's not the YouTube App, a simple App cannot do that.

This works also in Safari, for example. Go to Vimeo.com and test on videos.

 

[darcyf]

Just noticed this last night. Possibly the best update to any app ever.

 

[Dangerous Theory]

They should really follow in Android's footsteps with this aspect of their OS. Android has been far ahead of them in this one aspect, considering that apple has never changed the volume indicator

They actually have changed it - but they made it worse. In iOS 6 we had a transparent square around the volume indicator, and you could at least see content behind it. In 7 onwards they decided to make the box almost opaque, therefore disrupting content. Who knows why they thought this was a good idea...

 

[Shirasaki]

That huge Volume HUD not only obstructs me watching video, but also playing certain games requiring entire screen estate, seriously. I hate it as much as I hate Apple Music.

However Apple is notorious when implementing user-friendly features, even borrowing from Jailbreak teams. Let me see how many decades Apple will take before removing Volume HUD.

 

[tonyunreal]

MPVolumeView has been available to app developers since iOS 2.0...

 

[CrystalQuest76]

I've never found it to be intrusive. I don't change volume repeatedly while watching videos.

I agree. I did not think the volume indicator was a big deal. maybe because I am old with bad eyes.

 

[nagromme]

Apples big volume box is terrible, especially when trying not to disturb someone in an adjacent room or apartment. Needs to be fixed.

Fix it on the Mac, too!

 

[Sefstah]

Take away the headphone jack but leave the huge ugly volume indicater?! Genius!
[doublepost=1470758864][/doublepost]When I change the volume, I dont need to see it because I can hear it. Hmmmm...

 

[JosephAW]

iOS 6 was less intrusive as it was transparent. iOS 7 and later introduced the opaque graphic which is a continual annoience.

 

[Shirasaki]

Take away the headphone jack but leave the huge ugly volume indicater?! Genius!
[doublepost=1470758864][/doublepost]When I change the volume, I dont need to see it because I can hear it. Hmmmm...

User hostile and counter productive.

 

[KALLT]

I actually did not even know that this is possible API-wise. Yesterday I thought that my volume buttons were broken while watching a YouTube video. Apple really needs to step up their game and actually start designing a user-friendly and practical UI again. They are losing their touch with all this translucency nonsense.