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Google has rolled out picture-in-picture support as an "experimental" feature for YouTube premium subscribers, allowing them to watch video in a small window when the app is closed.

YouTube-Picture-in-Picture-Feature.jpg

If you're a premium YouTube subscriber looking to try out picture-in-picture, follow these steps:
  1. Launch a web browser and sign into your YouTube account at YouTube.com.
    Navigate to www.youtube.com/new.
  2. Scroll down to "Picture-in-picture on iOS".
  3. Click "Try it out."
Now, when you're in the YouTube app watching a video, return to your Home Screen by swiping up/pressing the Home button, and the picture-in-picture mini player will pop up. Google notes that locking your phone when watching in picture-in-picture mode will pause the video, but you can resume it by using the Lock Screen media controls.

youtube-picture-in-picture.jpg

Google in June announced that picture-in-picture support would be rolling out to both premium and non-paying YouTube app users in the U.S., but some people outside the U.S. have been able to get the experimental feature working, so it could be globally available.
However, Google says the feature is only available until October 31. The company doesn't explain what happens after that, but hopefully that's when support rolls out to both paying subscribers and non-paying users, as originally promised. Whether it will still be available globally outside of its "experimental" context remains to be seen, though.

(Via 9to5Google.)

Article Link: YouTube Premium Subscribers Can Now Use iOS Picture-in-Picture: Here's How
 
Last edited:

dave420

macrumors 65816
Jun 15, 2010
1,426
276
I wish we didn’t need to pay to have these features. But still nice to have it added now.
Wait, just now?!

I thought this was available for the longest time for Premium subscribers
It was audio only. Though this feature started working in Safari recently.

So this is still not available on the YouTube iOS app?

It's also insane how neither the iOS or iPadOS apps support system settings dark mode. For me, anyway. I hate how Google designs their software features and general rollouts.
It is now available from the app. That is what this article describes. You do need to go to their web site to enable the trial feature first.
 
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BrightCanon

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2008
681
308
I activated it and it took about 20 min but it’s working now. I’ve been able to you on Safari for months but not the app
 

uuaschbaer

macrumors regular
Aug 31, 2009
229
88
Does this work only on my Mac desktop or does it work on my iPhone as well?
It works on my ipad pro but it's a bit spotty on my iphone 6s. You can try it by bookmarking any page and editing the name and url of the bookmark. Also it's practical to store the bookmark directly under favourites such that it shows up when tapping the address bar.
 

antiprotest

macrumors 601
Apr 19, 2010
4,301
15,733
It's working great for me now. But knowing Google, will they take it away in the future?
 

Orly01

macrumors newbie
Aug 25, 2021
1
0
Santiago, Chile
I've been using picture in picture since I bought my iphone 12 about 3 month ago (I use youtube premium). I'm just realizing this was not something supported everywhere.
In my humble opinion PiP works very good for youtube in iphone. I've played puzzle games while whatching videos without problems.
 

Mr.Blacky

Cancelled
Jul 31, 2016
1,880
2,583
Does this not fall foul of developer guideline 3.2.2(ii)?

“Monetizing built-in capabilities provided by the hardware or operating system, such as Push Notifications, the camera, or the gyroscope; or Apple services, such as Apple Music access or iCloud storage.”

Or do Apple’s rules only apply to smaller developers…
I'm guessing Google can get away with this, because they are not using the built in video player.
 
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