YouTube Updates Set-Top Box Apps, Starting with Xbox One
posted Sunday Aug 17, 2014 by Nicholas DiMeo
Those checking out the YouTube app on an Xbox One this week would have noticed a slight change in aesthetics within the Google-owned video-streaming service. It's part of a full renovation to the look and feel of the site, coming off the heels of a a bunch of feature additions announced two months ago.
In the past, searching for videos from channels you subscribed to could be a chore, and finding new and interesting videos were not easy. YouTube looks to change all of that with this interface update, which will make the app on a set-top box look more like what you see on your phone, computer or tablet. In the following weeks, YouTube will push the update to all set-top box and Smart TVs across the country.
The new YouTube guide on the left of the app will allow you to subscribe to channels, watch videos and search all within one button press. Signing in to the app will lead you to better recommendations from the What to Watch section and you can even view your playlists now.
Aside from it being easier to just find videos, there's a bunch of other features the new look will bring you. Since content creators are working every day to bring new videos and playlists to their subscribers, the updated YouTube app will allow you to finally see all of those videos and playlists. No longer will the app decide for you on what you can view. The updated channel pages will show you all of the content, front-and-center.
It always confused me why certain apps would only show select information and why the experience had to be different from the website. Part of me thinks this facelift is to ease some of the tension of the all-but-certain Twitch acquisition. The good news is that the app sure does look nice, and it functions, too. Have you checked it out yet on the Xbox One? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
