The YouTube app for Windows Phone may be having some troubles these days, but the Android version continues to get better and better. Today, YouTube rolled out a big update for users, with the headlining feature being in-app multitasking -- meaning you can minimize a playing video while you search through the rest of YouTube's trove of vids. Once the video is minimized to thumbnail size in the bottom right corner of the screen, you can dismiss it by swiping it left or right. Bringing it back to full size is accomplished with a tap or an upward swipe. In practice, we found that the feature really shines when building out music video playlists, as you can listen to the tunes you've added while you search for new ones. Plus, the shrunken video is a bit jittery and too small to watch, but the audio plays flawlessly.
Multitasking's not all users get with the new rollout, of course, as the update has also made playlists searchable and improved the YouTube Chromecast experience too. Now, once you've hit the cast button in the app and tap to play a video, a window pops up with a thumbnail image, video description and the option to either play the video or add it to your playlist. And, along with that particular improvement, the entire app has been refreshed with Google's near-ubiquitous card UI. The update has just started rolling out to some Android users today, with more platforms set to receive the new features soon.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, HD, Mobile, Google