YouTube TV App Adds Support for Picture-in-Picture Mode on iOS in the US

YouTube has announced that it is rolling out support for picture-in-picture mode for its YouTube TV app on iOS. Users who have the latest version of iOS will be able to watch YouTube TV videos outside the app by swiping from the bottom of the screen, according to the company. The arrival of picture-in-picture support on YouTube TV for iOS users comes years after the feature was made available on Android. Meanwhile, the regular YouTube app for iOS is still testing support for picture-in-picture mode and there is no word on when all users will have access to the feature.

In an announcement made on Twitter, the service revealed that iPhone and iPad users who are running iOS 15 and newer should now have access to picture-in-picture mode on the YouTube TV app. Launched in February 2017, the YouTube TV service offers access to live TV and streaming on-demand video, and is only available in the United States. “Simply select a video to watch and swipe (up) from the bottom of the screen to return to the device's homepage. The video can scale down and move across your screen,” the Twitter post explains.

On March 24, YouTube announced that it was bringing thousands of free TV episodes to the YouTube TV app for viewers in the US, including shows like Hell's Kitchen and Heartland. Popular TV shows and movies can be accessed by users for free on smart TV, mobiles, and Web browsers, along with ads. The service will also add more movies and shows weekly, and upcoming movies will include Gone in Sixty Seconds and Runaway Bride, according to the company.

Meanwhile, the company's YouTube app on iOS is still testing support for picture-in-picture mode. YouTube users with a premium subscription on Android have been able to switch between apps or go to the home screen to enable picture-in-picture mode on videos for years. However, Android users in the US do not need a YouTube Premium subscription. Users on iOS however, need a Premium subscription to enable the feature that is still in testing in YouTube Labs, and has been since August 2018. According to the page, iOS users will be able to test picture-in-picture mode for another week, until April 8.