Google has made it a lot easier to while away the hours watching videos on YouTube with a new Instagram Stories-inspired feature.
An update for the iOS app enables users to simply swipe between videos on the Recommended tab, just as they would if enjoying friends’ Stories on the social network.
The new feature requires a horizontal swipe (left or right) to move between videos, and will work whether you’re watching in portrait or landscape mode.
YouTube also says the feature will save your place in the video, even after swiping back and forth. That way you’ll be able to pick up where you left off if you decide to return to the clip
Related: Best of CES 2019
The news comes via a TechCrunch report on Monday, which says Google is making the change to optimise playback for the mobile audience, where 70% of videos are now viewed.
There’s no news on when the feature will roll out for Android users, who are often behind their iPhone counterparts despite the obvious Google connection.
It’s not the first Instagram-inspired addition either. YouTube has added in recent times plenty of inspired features, as Google looks to the social networking trends to keep users engaged on its video sharing platform.
The company has recently added Stories of its own, as well as autoplaying videos. A double tab on a video will register a ‘like’ in Instagram, but doing so in YouTube will enable the viewer to jump 10 seconds in either direction.
Will this change encourage you to spend more time on YouTube? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
