YouTube to bring picture-in-picture viewing to iOS

YouTube is set to update its iOS app to introduce picture-in-picture viewing.

A long-time feature of Android mobile devices, picture-in-picture viewing was introduced to iPhones in the  iOS 14 update that was introduced in 2020 and had been a mainstay on iPad since iOS 9. The feature is supported by video apps such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Twitch, but YouTube has been the notable exception from that list. 

YouTube users are able to listen to a video’s audio with the YouTube app not open, but this is a feature exclusive for premium subscribers. Premium users are also able to download videos for offline viewing and do not see adverts.

However, the Google-owned YouTube has said that it will roll out picture-in-picture viewing for all users, though a time frame was not mentioned. YouTube has said that the feature will roll out initially to Premium subscribers with it extended to free users at some point in the future.