Foldable smartphones have become the norm in recent years, giving users more screen to enjoy their multimedia experience. Most apps, including YouTube from Google, have not fully taken advantage of this extra screen space. Users have been frustrated by the lack of optimization, especially in landscape mode. Google is apparently doing something about this with an update that is meant to improve usability on foldables, tablets, and phones in landscape orientation.
Current YouTube App Layout Issues
At the moment, the layout of the landscape mode of the YouTube app leaves much to be desired. It looks cluttered and inefficient, displaying a row of subscribed channels at the top followed by the subscription feed with huge video thumbnails. Titles and video details are displayed on the right side of the thumbnails, but the design mostly fails to maximize the available screen space. This gives one a disjointed, as well as visually unpleasant, experience on even larger screens, like those found in foldables.
Upcoming Changes for Landscape Orientation
Developer researcher AssembleDebug, cited by Android Authority, has recently discovered changes to YouTube v19.50.36 of the app. It does seem that this new build is testing a refreshed interface that will supposedly improve its consumption on foldables and other devices in landscape orientations.
Screenshots reveal that the redesign is a two-column layout. In this configuration, the left side will be for the subscribed channels, and the right side will have the subscription feed. This setup allows for full video thumbnails to be shown without white space wastage and easy navigation.
Better Layout for Phones
Changes aren’t only limited to foldables, though. For phones in landscape mode, YouTube is testing showing two video thumbnails side by side instead of showing just one. This helps optimize screen usage further; however, the exact implementation may depend on the size and width of the screen of the device.
Testing and Future Rollout
At the moment, this update is not available. YouTube sometimes does these tests with a few users first before it’s fully rolled out. So, there may already be some who have noticed this change.
Google is indeed committed to making applications as user-friendly as possible.
The news is not the first, considering this is Google’s move on creating high-quality designs for apps. YouTube just recently brought soft revamp upon its interface by replacing and updating the bottom navigation for a clean look. But these were not limited up until the new foldable-specific updates as it reveals what Google aims to refine among its diverse set of different gadgets.
Updates for YouTube signal significant improvement to be delivered for foldable phone users as well as those preferring landscape views. Optimizing layouts to decrease unused areas means the app is in position to give users an effortless experience. With increased demand for foldable devices, it is a critical factor for apps to be improved along with other technology development.
Images: Android Authority, Android Police
