Ask HN: Why picture-in-picture is still not available in YouTube app?

1 point·livinglist··6 comments

I remember seeing it in “try new features” in YouTube app’s settings (I’m using iOS), but now it has been removed and I can no longer find it anywhere in the settings… picture-in-picture has been out for many years and what’s stopping YouTube from making it available for users?

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> (I’m using iOS)

Because you're using iOS. Good news though, you don't have to use Google's garbage! You can sideload a better client[0] onto the device, since you own it and can control the software you install on it, right?

[0] https://ihax.io/youtube/

Probably their A/B testing showed that Pic-in-Pic doesn't increase revenue, so they botched it like so many other GOOG projects.

Really curious about the reasons though, is it because picture-in-picture will make if more difficult for tracking user activities or what?

It's a good point. I imagine iOS wouldn't let YT collect certain statistics if the video is in pic-in-pic.

...but they would let them control seeking functionality, media center integration, video download and analytics? I don't think there's some valiant privacy effort here, Google likely just doesn't really care about iOS. It's not like they have anything to gain by making the app nicer, you watch their ads either way.

They can’t show ads while in picture-in-picture mode.

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