YouTube set to launch new progress bar for videos on Android devices

The bar, so far, has been visible in some android devices exclusively in the 'dark theme' option of the website, looking to provide a lesser distracting user interface to the viewers.

Los Angeles: Video-sharing platform YouTube has announced a major change in its layout just as we are set to ring in the New Year.

The multimedia website is testing a subtler video progress bar than the original red-coloured one users have been viewing till now, as per a report by US-based tech portal, 9to5google.

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The bar, so far, has been visible in some android devices exclusively in the ‘dark theme’ option of the website, looking to provide a lesser distracting user interface to the viewers.

9to5google reports that the progress bar is ‘white/gray’ in colour when a video is playing in the dark theme of YouTube. In such a circumstance, YouTube doesn’t note the amount of video which has been loaded.

Upon interacting with the scrubber or tapping up to make controls visible brings the progress bar back to its previous behaviour, helping the UI fade away.

Outside of the YouTube video player, red still appears in the main feed, hence confirming that it is still the platform’s accent colour. The progress bar’s colour change is targeted at improving the viewing experience, as per 9to5google.

Meanwhile, the platform, which is owned by tech giant Google, earlier started to test out its queueing system on iOS and Android operating systems.

According to The Verge, an American technology news website, this feature has been available on the web for years now and shows up in YouTube apps under certain circumstances.

Users who control their Chromecast with their phones might recognize it, as will those who use the YouTube Music app. Now, YouTube Premium users who opt-in to the test will be able to add videos to a stack that acts like an impermanent playlist, as per the outlet.

After the feature is turned on, the feature will let users access a new “Play last in queue” button in the three vertical dot menu that appears on video thumbnails.