YouTube has just announced a series of new features for Shorts to improve the short video viewing experience on the platform.
The new changes are built on user feedback since Shorts was launched more than 5 years ago. YouTube said short content viewing habits are changing rapidly, requiring the platform to constantly adjust to meet new needs.
Clear Screen mode helps watch videos less distracted
One of the most notable points of the update is the Clear Screen mode. When activated, interface components such as icons, function buttons or text layers covering the video will be temporarily hidden.
Thanks to that, viewers can completely focus on the content being played without being distracted by the displayed elements on the screen.
In addition, YouTube also added the feature of playing videos at twice the speed (2x), one of the requests most proposed by users in the past time. This feature helps viewers receive information faster or easily scroll through unnecessary segments.
Add control options and change the interaction
In addition to the new playback speed, Shorts is also supplemented with more flexible control options. Users can pause videos, turn on or off audio directly on the viewing interface.
YouTube also allows adjusting video playback time according to demand, providing better control during use.
In terms of interaction, the platform will replace the traditional "like" icon with a heart icon. According to YouTube, this change aims to create a more intimate feeling when viewers express their love for the content.
Notably, the "dislike" button on Shorts will be removed. Instead, users are encouraged to use options such as "Not interested" or "Not proposing this channel" to adjust the suggested content.
According to YouTube, these options more accurately reflect user preferences, thereby helping the suggestion system operate more efficiently.
Shorts continues to be YouTube's growth engine
The new changes appear in the context that Shorts is becoming one of YouTube's most important content formats. The company once said Shorts currently records about 200 billion views per day worldwide.
Along with that, the number of YouTube viewers on smart TVs has also increased sharply in recent years. This shows that the platform is continuing to expand its reach, while investing more in the short video viewing experience.
