YouTube Go beta launches in India

After months of expanded testing and refinement, the beta version of YouTube Go is now available for download on the Google Play Store in India. It was in September 2016 that the YouTube Go app was announced at the Google for India event. 

Every aspect of YouTube Go was designed from the ground up, with four main principles in mind: It’s relatable, with fresh and relevant video recommendations tailored to users’ preferences; the app is designed to be offline first and improve the experience of watching videos on a slower network; it gives users more control over data usage, by providing choice and transparency into the amount of data spent on streaming or saving videos. And finally, it’s social, allowing users to share videos quickly and easily with friends nearby. 

Key features of YouTube Go include:

A home built for users: YouTube Go home screen features trending and popular videos in the user’s area, so that users can find and discover videos that they and their community care about. 

Preview videos before saving or watching: YouTube Go allows a preview of the video when users tap on a thumbnail, giving them a better sense of what the video is about before they decide if they want to watch it. 

Choosing one’s resolution when saving or streaming videos: Users can choose to save a video for offline viewing later or stream it now. YouTube Go also allows users to choose the amount of data they would like to spend on that video. 

Share videos with friends nearby: Users can share videos with friends and family nearby without using any data. They can send and receive videos instantly and offline with others using the YouTube Go app. 

While the app is in its beta release, YouTube will continue to listen to users’ feedback and improve the app before launching more broadly. YouTube will also be holding several activities in Udaipur over the upcoming weeks to glean more insights from users on the ground.