Google’s widely popular video streaming platform YouTube’s v5 update in 2013 came with the floating in-app video player. This feature enabled users to multitask and browse for a new video while still watching another video. While this feature has been left untouched by the app’s developers for so many years, there seems to be a new change coming.
According to some users, there is now a new bar at the bottom with player controls to pause/ play the video or close it. Additionally, there is evidence to show that YouTube is now going to provide its users the option to completely turn off the floating in-app video player when using the app.
According to a teardown by Android Police, this assumption has been made by gathering information found inside YouTube’s newest APK. However, there has been no official statement from the team of developers over at YouTube regarding this update. There is a possibility that the features found in the APK may initially be available only to a small number of users. None of the features discussed below can be considered a certainty unless there is an official announcement from the company itself.
The additions to the APK indicate the presence of a new setting that will allow users of the app to decide whether they want floating videos to continue to play even after navigating away from it. There is still some confusion regarding whether the option will completely turn off the video or whether it will remain in a position from which it can easily be restored.
There will be three options that users can choose from when it comes to the turning off of the floating player: On, Only On on WiFi, and Off. The default setting will leave the player On. These options are supposedly located at the top of the General screen in Settings, above the Limit Mobile Data Usage option but this location could change.
This new update will certainly be a relief for the few users who would prefer not to have the floating player. According to speculations, this update is a part of Google’s movement to reduce data usage in several of its apps, therefore giving the option to keep the player enabled only when on WiFi.
