Tag Archives: YouTube

Tech

YouTube’s New Playables Feature

YouTube’s New Playables Feature: A Game Changer for Premium Subscribers

YouTube, the world’s most popular video-sharing platform, is constantly evolving to cater to its ever-growing user base. In a recent move, YouTube has introduced a new feature called Playables, which allows Premium subscribers to play games directly on the platform without having to download anything.

What is Playables?

Playables is a dedicated section within the YouTube app or desktop website that offers a curated selection of arcade games that can be played instantly. These games are designed to be lightweight and easy to pick up and play, making them perfect for quick bursts of entertainment.

What games are available on Playables?

At the time of launch, Playables offered a modest selection of around 37 games. However, the company has promised to add more titles in the future. Some of the popular games currently available on Playables include Angry Birds Showdown, Brain Out, and Daily Solitaire.

How do Playables work?

To access Playables, Premium subscribers simply need to navigate to the Playables section within the YouTube app or desktop website. Once there, they can browse the available games and start playing instantly. There is no need to download or install anything, making Playables a convenient and hassle-free way to enjoy arcade gaming on YouTube.

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What are the benefits of Playables?

Playables offers several benefits to Premium subscribers, including:

Instant access to a curated selection of arcade games
No need to download or install anything
A convenient and hassle-free way to enjoy arcade gaming on YouTube

Is Playables available to all users?

Playables is currently in beta testing and is only available to a select group of Premium subscribers. However, YouTube plans to gradually expand access to Playables in the coming months.

What is the future of Playables?

YouTube has not yet announced any concrete plans for the future of Playables. However, the company has indicated that it is committed to the feature and plans to continue adding new games and features.

Overall, Playables is a promising new feature that has the potential to enhance the YouTube experience for Premium subscribers. With its curated selection of easy-to-play arcade games, Playables offers a convenient and hassle-free way to enjoy gaming on the go.

In addition to Playables, YouTube is also testing new generative AI features that will allow users to create music tracks using just a text prompt or a simple hummed tune.

This new feature, called Dream Track, is powered by Google DeepMind’s Lyria, the company’s most advanced music generation model to date. With Dream Track, users can simply hum a melody or type in a description of the song they have in mind, and Lyria will generate a corresponding music track.

Dream Track is still in its early stages of development, but it has the potential to revolutionize the way people create music. With its ability to generate music from simple prompts, Dream Track could make music creation more accessible to people of all skill levels.

Tech

Capture YouTube Videos as Images: New Feature for Chrome and Edge

Save YouTube Video Frames Directly: New Feature Arrives for Chrome, Edge

Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge users will soon be able to save frames from YouTube videos in the original resolution and PNG format. This follows the introduction of an option to “copy video frame” on YouTube.

The new feature has been added to both Chrome and Edge browsers. To save a frame from a YouTube video, simply right-click on the video and select “Save frame as.” The frame will be saved as a PNG file in the user’s Downloads folder.

Chromium developers are also planning to introduce a feature that allows users to search for video frames using a specified search provider.

In addition to these new features, YouTube is also testing a new AI chatbot that will let users get answers to questions about the video they’re watching, recommendations for related content, and more, all without interrupting playback.

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Tech

YouTube Crackdown on Ad Blockers Spurs Record Uninstalls

YouTube: YouTube’s recent efforts to counter ad blockers have backfired, leading to a surge in uninstalls of these extensions. According to AdGuard, a popular ad-blocking company, its Chrome extension has witnessed a daily uninstall rate of over 11,000 since October 9th, compared to the previous 6,000 per day. This spike coincides with YouTube’s implementation of new measures to detect and disable ad blockers.

The backlash against YouTube’s crackdown extends to other ad-blocking companies as well. AdLock, another popular extension, reported a 30% increase in both daily installations and uninstalls in October. Ghostery, another ad-blocking company, experienced a similar trend, with three to five times the daily number of installs and uninstalls. Over 90% of Ghostery users surveyed attributed their uninstalls to the incompatibility of the extension with YouTube.

In response to YouTube’s crackdown, some users have opted to switch browsers. Ghostery reported a 30% increase in Edge browser installations in October compared to September. This shift suggests that users are seeking alternatives to Chrome to circumvent YouTube’s ad-blocking restrictions.

YouTube’s reliance on ad revenue is substantial. In the first nine months of this year, the platform generated nearly $22 billion in advertising sales, accounting for roughly 10% of Google’s total revenue. YouTube content creators typically receive 55% of ad sales for longer videos and 45% for Shorts.

While YouTube’s ad revenue remains strong, the company’s crackdown on ad blockers has ignited user frustration and prompted a shift towards alternative browsers. Premium subscriptions, which are expected to generate $2.7 billion in sales this year, may provide a potential avenue for YouTube to diversify its revenue stream and reduce its dependence on traditional advertising.

 

Tech

YouTube Tightens Global Crackdown on Ad Blockers

YouTube, owned by Google, has intensified its global efforts to crack down on users who use ad blockers on its platform.

According to Android Authority, more and more YouTube users are seeing a warning message asking them to either disable ad blockers and watch ads, or pay $14 for a YouTube Premium subscription.

In the past few weeks, more users with ad blockers installed have discovered that they are unable to watch YouTube videos.

The company has now launched a global effort to encourage users to either allow ads or try YouTube Premium, which includes YouTube Music.

A company spokesperson told The Verge that using ad blockers violates the platform’s terms of service. Ads support a diverse ecosystem of creators globally and allow billions to access their favorite content on YouTube,” the spokesperson said.

In June, YouTube confirmed that it was disabling videos for users with ad blockers. At the time, it was only a “small experiment globally.” In May, YouTube added unskippable 30-second ads to its TV app and later began testing longer but less frequent ad breaks on TV as well.

Last month, the streaming platform announced that it would be discontinuing its lower-cost “Premium Lite” subscription plan after a two-year pilot in select countries.

The company stated that it would no longer offer “Premium Lite” after October 25th.

YouTube’s “Premium Lite” plan, which costs $7.39 per month, was first introduced in select European countries in 2021. It offered ad-free viewing across YouTube’s spectrum of apps and formats, but it did not include other Premium features such as offline downloads, background playback, or any YouTube Music benefits.

The removal came after YouTube Premium raised its individual plan prices for the first time, with the plan now starting at $13.99 per month. Family plans were also raised to $22.99 per month late last year.

Analysis

YouTube’s crackdown on ad blockers is a sign that the company is taking the issue of ad revenue seriously. Ads are the primary way that YouTube creators are compensated for their work, and YouTube relies on ad revenue to keep its platform free for users.

However, many users are unhappy with YouTube’s decision to crack down on ad blockers. They argue that they are using ad blockers because they are concerned about their privacy and security, and because they find many ads to be annoying.

It is unclear how effective YouTube’s crackdown on ad blockers will be. Some users may simply find ways to circumvent YouTube’s new measures. However, YouTube’s decision to crack down on ad blockers is a sign that the company is committed to protecting its ad revenue and supporting its creators.

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