Thinking about upgrading to YouTube Premium? You get perks like ad-free viewing and background play, but YouTube is also testing some new features specifically for Premium subscribers. But are these features useful enough to justify the upgrade? Let’s take a look!
New Perks for Premium Users
- Jump Ahead: This feature, currently in testing on Android, uses AI to analyze where viewers typically scrub ahead in videos. When you double-tap to skip ahead, you’ll now have the option to “Jump Ahead” to these “best” parts of the video.
- Picture-in-Picture for YouTube Shorts: This feature, also exclusive to Android for now, allows you to watch YouTube Shorts in picture-in-picture mode while using other apps.
- Smart Downloads for Shorts (Experimental): Tired of missing out on Shorts when you’re offline? Opt-in to this experimental feature and YouTube will automatically download new Shorts for you to watch later.
- Conversational AI (Experimental): YouTube is bringing back its conversational AI on Android devices. This AI assistant can answer your questions and recommend similar content based on the video you’re watching.
- New Watch Page (Experimental): This experimental feature, available only on the web for Premium users, offers a redesigned watch page for easier video browsing and commenting.
Are These Features Useful?
The verdict on these new features is a mixed bag. “Jump Ahead” could be helpful for long videos, but Picture-in-Picture for Shorts seems less practical. Many viewers, in the comments section of the original announcement, expressed a desire for more practical features like default high-resolution playback or the ability to skip sponsor segments.
Upgrade or Not?
Ultimately, whether these new features are worth it for you depends on your individual needs. If you’re already happy with YouTube Premium and don’t find these features particularly compelling, you might be fine sticking with your current plan.
What do you think of the new YouTube Premium features? Let us know in the comments below!
