YouTube beta users get a taste of the redesigned Android 13 media controls
One of the most prominent changes Android 13 brings to devices is arevised design for media controls. So far, three core Google services have been updated to support the redesign — Chrome,YouTube Music, and Google Podcasts. The latest beta for the main YouTube app indicates it is the next in line to adopt the new UI. The change is visible to everyone running the app on the Android 13 beta.
The most recent beta version of the YouTube app, version 17.32.32, brings a minor yet noticeable change in the media controls seen in the notification shade. You’re most likely to notice it when you use your smartphone for casting media or, if you’re a YouTube Premium subscriber, using Background Play.9to5Googlereports the updated app targets API level 33 (that’s Android 13 to you and me), which brings a longer progress bar and a customary square Pause button with rounded corners which turns into a circular Play button when tapped, pushed out of the bottom row. The ‘X’ button has been axed, but swiping away the notification card won’t stop playback — you’ll need to pause whatever you’re listening to beforehand.
These relatively bigger changes do lead to other compromises such as the truncation of video titles with the relocation play/pause button, but it shouldn’t take much attention to adjust.
This updated experience could make its way to the stable version of YouTube app onAndroid 13devices over the coming weeks. Other Google apps and content streaming services like Spotify are still awaiting an update. It looks like the Android 13 beta will stick around until next month, just prior to when Google’sPixel 7series breaks cover. When the devices launch though, these Google apps should be ready to hit the ground running.
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