YouTube Still Testing Picture-in-Picture on iOS With Premium Subscribers [Updated]

[MacRumors]

YouTube today extended its testing period for the iPhone's picture-in-picture feature by an additional two weeks.

YouTube Premium subscribers now have access to picture-in-picture mode on iOS as an "experimental feature" until February 14, according to YouTube. The feature was originally set to be available until January 31, but the date has been pushed forward several times.

Picture-in-picture mode is available on iPhones running iOS 14 and later, and it allows videos to be watched while using other apps. When watching a video, users can tap the picture-in-picture button with two boxes and an arrow to move the video to a smaller window that floats over the Home Screen or other apps.

In a statement shared with MacRumors in June 2021, a Google spokesperson said YouTube planned to launch picture-in-picture for all iOS users in the United States, but no timeframe was provided for the rollout. We've reached out to Google for an update on the matter and we'll update this story if we receive any new information.

In the meantime, picture-in-picture on iOS remains exclusive to YouTube Premium subscribers. Priced at $11.99 per month in the U.S., YouTube Premium features ad-free videos, the ability to download videos, video playback when a device's screen is locked, and more.

Update: In a statement shared with MacRumors today, Google said it is "still planning to launch PiP for all users without a YouTube Premium subscription in the US," but it has no further updates to provide at this time.

We're still planning to launch PiP for all users without a YouTube Premium subscription in the US. We have no other updates to share at this time. In the meantime, we've also extended our experiment of PiP on youtube.com/new for our Premium users on iOS as we continue to test and improve the experience before launch.

(Thanks, IceCool Tech!)

Article Link: YouTube Still Testing Picture-in-Picture on iOS With Premium Subscribers [Updated]

 

[Think|Different]

Just give it to everyone. Sheesh, it is downright silly to gate this of all things. And a few months ago I did a Premium trial and was unsurprisingly disappointed to find out you couldn't even do PIP on my iPad Pro with Premium at the time – all the documentation was just for iOS for a reason. Absolutely nonsense – it's 100% about the ad consumption experience.

 

[MikeCam]

'Testing' lol

 

[jooish]

Does it get any scummier than removing a free feature to charge users for it?

 

[FSMBP]

A little crazy that on my 2012 MacBook Pro, I can do PIP with Safari in YouTube.

But, somehow in 2022, this is turning into a paid-feature on iOS.

Sounds like we're going backwards

 

[rgeneral]

They want to charge extra for it. you can get it with safari. no point in using the app.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

This needs to be a FREE feature. What exactly are they charging extra for? $11.99 per month premium subscription and to use Picture-In-Picture feature? 🤦‍♀️

 

[SenorWhyMe]

lol and i have been using uyou ipa via altstore for a long time before that I was using cercube. It has adblock, downloads, sponsor block, dislike button returns, pip mode , background mode

 

[GMShadow]

Just give it to everyone. Sheesh, it is downright silly to gate this of all things. And a few months ago I did a Premium trial and was unsurprisingly disappointed to find out you couldn't even do PIP on my iPad Pro with Premium at the time – all the documentation was just for iOS for a reason. Absolutely nonsense – it's 100% about the ad consumption experience.

PiP's been working on my iPad Pro for months.

 

[djcerla]

And yet, paying subscribers (me) don’t have PiP anymore. Fix it Google.

Edit: intermittent problem.

 

[DFZD]

We don't want any feature except the feature to turn off Youtube Premium trial nagifications.

 

[SenorWhyMe]

And yet, paying subscribers (me) don’t have PiP anymore. Fix it Google.

don’t pay if they are still not giving you what you demanded, many sideloader custom youtube apps had the features you demanded for free

 

[dreamerstree]

Strangely enough, I am not a YouTube premium subscriber, but this feature is working on my iPhone 11. It doesn't do it consistently, but I have definitely had it do it many times over the last few weeks.

 

[Dwalls90]

Does it get any scummier than removing a free feature to charge users for it?

I wish Apple would challenge this.

 

[upandown]

Testing? It's worked flawlessly for me. If they take it away I will stop giving them money.

 

[checker2010]

As a premium subscriber I hope they keep it for premium only. Along with offline downloads and background play, it keeps the subscription as great value.

 

[checker2010]

I wish Apple would challenge this.

It’s not for Apple to challenge them.

 

[Paddle1]

What is there to "test". It's been working fine for months.

 

[Rudy69]

Get Vinegar, it will force YouTube to use the built in media player....which of course supports PiP just fine

 

[joshen]

I've had it enabled since summer and I was surprised at how little I actually utilized it on iPhone. It's useful on iPad though.

 

[Dwalls90]

It’s not for Apple to challenge them.

To each their own opinion, but an app developer impairing an iOS user's experience by gatekeeping a core OS feature behind a subscription seems like something Apple would be interested in going after.

 

[Paddle1]

As a premium subscriber I hope they keep it for premium only. Along with offline downloads and background play, it keeps the subscription as great value.

It's free on Android and everything else. This is basic functionality.

 

[evan13]

I gave up on that anyway. I’ve been using the Vinegar App and it works all the time 😁👍

 

[The Game 161]

It's free on Android and everything else. This is basic functionality.

It’s not free on android

Non U.S. markets you have to pay

 

[jonnyb098]

A year later….still “testing“. Not to mention iPad has had PIP for 6 damn years now. I gave up on it. It’s not happening for the rest of us. Which is pathetic .