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YouTube Restores iOS 14 Picture in Picture Capability on Mobile Website

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Apr 12, 2001
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Tonight, the YouTube website has started allowing iOS 14 devices to use the built-in Picture in Picture functionality for its videos even without a Premium account.

This is an apparent reversal of a change that YouTube explicitly made following the release of iOS 14 which blocked such behavior. At that time, YouTube would only allow that capability for users with Premium accounts. Tonight's change means that any YouTube visitor can use Picture in Picture in Safari.


iOS 14 introduced native Picture in Picture capability to the iPhone for the first time, however, apps have to explicitly support the feature. YouTube's native app has never supported Picture in Picture for any of its users even though iPadOS has offered the capability for some time. There have been reports that YouTube has been testing this feature, but there have been no announcements.

As a result, iOS 14 users have had to resort to using YouTube in Safari as a workaround. Since there have been no announcements either way, it's unclear if this change is permanent or not.

Thanks Jorge

Article Link: YouTube Restores iOS 14 Picture in Picture Capability on Mobile Website
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/10/02/youtube-picture-in-picture-again/
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How about you let me use it from the app itself? It should be free as a part of iOS, but I am also a premium subscriber. I wish there were a YouTube alternative. Unfortunately, due to the (insane) number of ads it is actually worth it TO ME to subscribe even if I get jacked over and don't get PiP from the app.

Honestly, YouTube is a pretty shameful company.
 
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ctg7w6 said:
How about you let me use it from the app itself? It should be free as a part of iOS, but I am also a premium subscriber. I wish there were a YouTube alternative. Unfortunately, due to the (insane) number of ads it is actually worth it TO ME to subscribe even if I get jacked over and don't get PiP from the app.

Honestly, YouTube is a pretty shameful company.
Click to expand...
You should really consider using an ad blocker. They get rid of all Youtube ads. More importantly, they get rid of a lot of dangerous ads.
 
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javisan said:
Enabling in Safari works perfect for me as that is how I view YouTube in my iPhone. I have an adblocker that completely removes all ads embedded to the videos.
Click to expand...

What ad blocker are you using? I have several, but none block YouTube ads in safari for me. I may just not know what I’m doing. Any help is appreciated.
 
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If they add this in app, I might continue paying for Premium (Got the free trial month, wanted no ads). but probably not.

I would however pay $5 a month for a ad free version, I don't need any of the other premium features.
 
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rjp1 said:
You should really consider using an ad blocker. They get rid of all Youtube ads. More importantly, they get rid of a lot of dangerous ads.
Click to expand...

Does the ad blocker work for the YouTube app or only on Safari? Which ad blocker do you use?
 
ctg7w6 said:
How about you let me use it from the app itself? It should be free as a part of iOS, but I am also a premium subscriber. I wish there were a YouTube alternative. Unfortunately, due to the (insane) number of ads it is actually worth it TO ME to subscribe even if I get jacked over and don't get PiP from the app.

Honestly, YouTube is a pretty shameful company.
Click to expand...
Well the app is a crap experience, at least if you’re not a premium subscriber.

I never used to have to deal with it, but now it insists on launching itself (even if I hit cancel on the “Open in YouTube” dialog box) while previously it was happy to just play in a Safari window. Hopefully that’s just a bug that will get squashed.
 
Pipper99 said:
What ad blocker are you using? I have several, but none block YouTube ads in safari for me. I may just not know what I’m doing. Any help is appreciated.
Click to expand...

I use WIPR. Works perfectly on YouTube and accross al sites. I've been using it for years on Mac OS and iOS without issues.

The only negative thing about having to use Safari to view YouTube on the iPhone is that the mobile site is limited to 720p, which is not that big of a deal, but it would be nice if 1080p was an option. You could enable the desktop site on iOS but I've encountered various issues there, so I stick with the mobile site.
 
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ctg7w6 said:
How about you let me use it from the app itself? It should be free as a part of iOS, but I am also a premium subscriber. I wish there were a YouTube alternative. Unfortunately, due to the (insane) number of ads it is actually worth it TO ME to subscribe even if I get jacked over and don't get PiP from the app.

Honestly, YouTube is a pretty shameful company.
Click to expand...

Have you ever tried to get support from YouTube. Absolutely non-existent. I'll never pay them a cent for their crap service.
 
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Pipper99 said:
What ad blocker are you using? I have several, but none block YouTube ads in safari for me. I may just not know what I’m doing. Any help is appreciated.
Click to expand...
I’ve used AdGuard for a couple years now. I haven’t watch any YouTube app since then. Or any ads on websites.

Those ads are so annoying whenever I go into a computer or device that isn’t mine. First thing I do is add an adblocker to the browser if possible.
 
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javisan said:
I use WIPR. Works perfectly on YouTube and accross al sites. I've been using it for years on Mac OS and iOS without issues.

The only negative thing about having to use Safari to view YouTube on the iPhone is that the mobile site is limited to 720p, which is not that big of a deal, but it would be nice if 1080p was an option. You could enable the desktop site on iOS but I've encountered various issues there, so I stick with the mobile site.
Click to expand...
Went and bought WIPR (only £2) based on your post - it works so well. All ads in YouTube on safari gone, all other obtrusive ads on sites too. Thanks for the recommendation!
 
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falkon-engine said:
This just might have been a bug. Pip continued to work in chrome and Firefox even though it didn’t work in safari and edge.

What I want to know is, when is 4K (non hdr) coming to iPhone and appletv 4K?
Click to expand...
It's odd 4K worked at times in the app during the iOS/iPadOS beta period, but vanished in the second-to-last beta version. I hope it comes back soon. One thing is odd that YouTube on Android only supports up to 1440p(60) on its Play Store app unless you root your device and fool with a configuration to tell YouTube your screen is bigger than it is. If iOS/iPadOS get 4K, that'll be something even Android doesn't have, with the one exception.
 
ctg7w6 said:
How about you let me use it from the app itself? It should be free as a part of iOS, but I am also a premium subscriber. I wish there were a YouTube alternative. Unfortunately, due to the (insane) number of ads it is actually worth it TO ME to subscribe even if I get jacked over and don't get PiP from the app.

Honestly, YouTube is a pretty shameful company.
Click to expand...
I use it in Safari with ad-blockers. Easy
 
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MacRumors said:


Tonight, the YouTube website has started allowing iOS 14 devices to use the built-in Picture in Picture functionality for its videos even without a Premium account.

This is an apparent reversal of a change that YouTube explicitly made following the release of iOS 14 which blocked such behavior. At that time, YouTube would only allow that capability for users with Premium accounts. Tonight's change means that any YouTube visitor can use Picture in Picture in Safari.


iOS 14 introduced native Picture in Picture capability to the iPhone for the first time, however, apps have to explicitly support the feature. YouTube's native app has never supported Picture in Picture for any of its users even though iPadOS has offered the capability for some time. There have been reports that YouTube has been testing this feature, but there have been no announcements.

As a result, iOS 14 users have had to resort to using YouTube in Safari as a workaround. Since there have been no announcements either way, it's unclear if this change is permanent or not.

Thanks Jorge

Article Link: YouTube Restores iOS 14 Picture in Picture Capability on Mobile Website
Click to expand...

Wait what? How does it work in iPadOS then because i just tried it and it didn’t work?
 
ctg7w6 said:
How about you let me use it from the app itself? It should be free as a part of iOS, but I am also a premium subscriber. I wish there were a YouTube alternative. Unfortunately, due to the (insane) number of ads it is actually worth it TO ME to subscribe even if I get jacked over and don't get PiP from the app.

Honestly, YouTube is a pretty shameful company.
Click to expand...
YouTube provides nearly unlimited entertainment. You think they give this out for free? Ads are the only thing that’s keeping the website running. Those servers storing those videos aren’t cheap to maintain. It’s also how creators get paid as well, the creators can choose how many ads show up in a video.

They have a paid subscription if you don’t want to see ads, what’s there to complain about again?
 
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