Skip to main content

YouTube tests an in-app messenger for sharing videos with friends



YouTube as a messaging app? Sure, why not! Everyone’s doing it, after all. In case you missed it: YouTube announced this week that it’s testing a new feature with a subset of its mobile app user base that will allow them to easily share videos with family and friends. Users with the feature can chat about those videos in a new tab in the app, the company says.
The feature makes sense, as a lot of YouTube’s user base already shares videos with their friends – but over SMS, iMessage or another messaging platform. YouTube is smart to try to capitalize on that behavior, in order to increase usage of its own app as well as the time its users spend engaged with its service on mobile.
Not that YouTube is struggling when it comes to mobile, of course. Its mobile usage has been steadily climbing over the years, and now sees average mobile viewing sessions of 40 minutes. It’s also bigger than any single U.S. cable TV network with the key demographic that includes those aged 18 to 49, the company has previously said.
The messenger feature is still in beta testing, and not all users have access to it at this time, YouTube notes. However, it is being trialed on both iOS and Android. Plus, as those users who are able to try out the messenger send videos and chats to friends, the recipients are then also able to use the new feature, too.
Friends who receive a video in the chat-like interface can choose to respond by sending a video of their own, or they can just type out a response or use emoji.
The move to launch messaging comes at a time when YouTube is working to redefine its platform as not only a place for user-generated content, but also a place where you can watch original series and movies,listen to music even when offline, watch e-sports, kids’ videos, and more. This messenger feature pushes it to become even more of a social network than it is today, while also acknowledging that a lot of socializing today is done on our smartphones through messaging, instead of more public social media. The move also follows Amazon’s recent launch of its own YouTube-like service, Amazon Video Direct.
YouTube did not confirm when the messaging feature will reach its wider user base.

Comments

Post a Comment

You may also want to read these ⤵️

Referee kills player in a football match

A referee is facing murder charges after football players allegedly forced him to
2 comments
Read on »

Do not watch this while driving

Kids are lovely and fun to watch most times. I know most of you did this and so many other funny stuffs as a kid. Feel free to share yours... Do not watch this while driving
1 comment
Read on »

Over 40 Million Accounts Found Guilty

Microsoft has uncovered 44 million user accounts using usernames and passwords that have been leaked through security breaches.
1 comment
Read on »

RAW TALENT ep1 (freestyle by Gdlpeid)

Just watch! Freestyle by ''Gdlpeeid''. A rapper with a difference.  Pure raw talent.
Post a Comment
Read on »

These 10 Powerful Words And Phrases Defined The Decade

Honestly, it has been a wonderful decade to remember.  A lot has happened and a lot has been spoken also. But our focus is on the words and phrases spoken.  Below are words and phrases spoken between 2010 - 2019 that defined the decade.....
Post a Comment
Read on »

By February 2020 - WhatsApp Will Stop Working on These Phones

Every now and then, WhatsApp does fish out a list of old phones for which support is discontinued and if you have an old phone lying around as a backup, you might want to read on.
Post a Comment
Read on »

Apple Has Released iOS 13.2.2 And Fixes Major Issue

All thanks to Apple,  the tech  giant just released iOS 13.2.2, which addresses the issue of background apps being killed prematurely, along with a handful of other annoyances.
Post a Comment
Read on »

This Magnetic thread Can Be Used To Clear Blood Clot in The Brain

Link from mashable.com  Researchers at MIT developed a thread that can be steered magnetically to glide through the brain's blood vessels and
Post a Comment
Read on »

This gigantic monster device turns wave energy into electricity

This 826-ton buoy was developed by OceanEnergy to turn wave energy into electricity. IEEE Spectrum reported that "OE Buoy" was towed from Oregon to Hawaii, where it will undergo a series of tests that will prove whether it can withstand the battering waves while generating electricity. Click the link below to watch the video..
Post a Comment
Read on »

Lionel Messi Barcelona exit date revealed

The Barcelona Legend has decided on when he wants to quit the club and even has a successor in his mind already. 
Post a Comment
Read on »