YouTube is widely distributing an app-wide redesign for Android and iOS, which was first announced last week. The update, seen in version 20.42, introduces new icons and significant changes to the video player interface.
All icons throughout the YouTube application, including those in the top and bottom bars and on the video page, have been updated. The new icons feature bolder and more rounded outlines intended to improve visibility.
The majority of the modifications are concentrated on the video player, with the stated goal of obscuring less of the video content. In portrait mode, the interface now includes the new icon set, a larger landscape button enclosed in a circle, and modernized controls for Premium users. A new like and dislike button with a longer thumb design has also been implemented. When a user likes certain videos, a “custom, dynamic visual treatment” appears based on the content. For instance, liking a music video triggers an animated musical note, while sports videos include a visual cue from the game.
In the landscape player, a pill-shaped container in the bottom-left corner now groups the thumbs up/down, comment, save, share, and overflow buttons. This area also includes a cleaner “More videos” button. Another change is that the background is no longer darkened when a video is paused.
Other updates include a “more subtle and compact animation” for the double-tap to skip function, designed to be “less intrusive to your video watching experience.” The transition between tabs now features a smoother animation that slides the feed up. The process for saving videos to playlists or Watch Later uses a “refreshed design simplifies the process,” and comment threading has been enhanced to make conversations and replies easier to follow. Users may need to force stop and relaunch the app to see the redesign.
