GoKawiilJoe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR YouTube appears to be testing a mobile livestream ad format that plays in a dedicated space below the video window, replacing the live chat area.
This change allows users to keep watching live content during ads, avoiding the traditional “commercial break” that obscures the entire screen.
While the video remains visible, early reports indicate ad audio still plays over the stream and cannot be muted independently.
YouTube’s latest price hike for Premium has a bunch of people thinking about canceling their subscription and making their peace with ads. In what appears to be a bit of good news, YouTube is testing a new livestream ad format that doesn’t make you miss out on content (for the most part).
Reddit user PuffballOfficial12 shared that YouTube was now playing ads below the livestream on their mobile device. This means that users can continue watching the livestream even if the ad is playing, which, believe it or not, would be better than how YouTube currently handles ads during livestreams.
Traditionally, YouTube ads during live streams functioned like television commercials, completely taking over and obscuring the content. On mobile devices, this meant viewers would often miss crucial moments of a live event, such as a game-winning play or a breaking news update, while an unskippable 15-second ad played.
The new ad format changes the screen’s geometry. Instead of an overlay, the ad occupies a dedicated space below the video window on mobile, where the live chat used to be.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a favorite source in Google Discover to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more.
to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. You can also set us as a preferred source in Google Search by clicking the button below.
... continue reading