Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- YouTube is testing a new landscape layout for Android that is better optimized and wastes less white space.
- The updated layout is available to some users, but is not generally available.
YouTube is one of the best Android apps out there and most of us are so addicted that we spend quite a bit of money on a monthly YouTube Premium subscription. However, the service has a lot of room for improvement, and one of those is how the app works at larger aspect ratios, such as on phones in landscape orientation and on foldable and larger-screen tablets. Google seems to have set its sights on this landscape experience, as we spotted changes that are a significant improvement over what we currently have in the YouTube app for Android.
A APK teardown helps predict features that might be available to a service in the future based on the code in progress. However, such predicted features may not be released.
Currently, YouTube is well optimized for use on Android flagships in portrait mode. However, when you use the YouTube app in landscape mode or on foldable devices and tablets with larger screens, you get a landscape mode that simply rotates the portrait mode. That's the lazy way to create a landscape-oriented experience, and it's hardly an improvement over disabling landscape orientation entirely.
Here's what YouTube currently looks like in landscape mode and on foldable devices:
AssembleDebug / Android Authority
As you can see in the current layout, channel updates appear on the top row while your subscription feed appears below. It looks cramped and busy because all the UI elements seem to be jostling for space on the vertical Y-axis while the horizontal X-axis wastes white space.
Here is a video demo of the YouTube app:
As you can see, you need to select channels in the top refresh bar to view their activity. Note that video listings with very large thumbnails will take up the entire screen.
With the YouTube app v19.50.36, Google is testing some UI changes that will optimize the landscape orientation experience on phones and foldable tablets with larger screens. We spotted the change on a foldable device and this is what the optimized layout could look like in the future:
AssembleDebug / Android Authority
As you can see, the subscription feed is better distributed in the upcoming layout. Channel updates can be found in the left navigation bar, videos in the second column. This also corrects the size of thumbnails, significantly reduces wasted white space, and makes the interface easier to navigate and scroll.
Moving channel updates to the left navigation bar also tidies up the channel updates view. Google is further reducing wasted white space by introducing a two-column layout, although this may depend on the width of the device.
AssembleDebug / Android Authority
Here is a video demo showing the layout changes on the Subscription tab:
In landscape mode, the entire experience feels much better as more information is displayed on the screen. It no longer looks like an afterthought to the portrait experience. Even if you're using a traditional Android phone, this streamlined layout is good enough to not force you to juggle between portrait scrolling for the Subscriptions tab and then back to landscape for the full-screen video player. You can absolutely use the YouTube app in fixed landscape mode and have a great experience.
This optimized landscape layout for YouTube appears to be in the testing phase. Some users may participate in this test, but we don't see any signs of a wider rollout yet. We'll keep you updated as we learn more.