YouTube’s support account stated on Twitter that picture-in-picture compatibility for iOS devices will be available “soon.” The tweet came in response to a user who inquired about a prior test of the function, which was only available to Premium users at the time. The account did not say if Premium users will still be able to access the content.
Last week, the PiP test with Premium subscribers ended, and it vanished from YouTube’s list of accessible experimental features, where it had been posted with an April 8th expiry date. Even though some users are seeing a “The feature you’re attempting has been switched off” banner after the picture-in-picture test, others are claiming that they can still utilize the function.
Youtube’s PiP Feature Is Still Available For Premium Users
Their Premium accounts that had previously signed up for the test are still functional with the feature. Picture-in-picture support is available for video services on both iPhones and iPads at a system level, however, the app’s support has been patchy, necessitating workarounds such as watching it through a browser rather than through its native app. However, YouTube’s Premium test improved the functionality by allowing users to continue viewing even if they exited the main app. The picture-in-picture test for Premium subscribers was always intended to be restricted.
The beta phase was initially meant to finish on October 31, but it was extended after being announced in June of last year. Even though the tool was only available to Premium users during the test, YouTube said last month that it expects to make it available to all iOS users in the US, including non-Premium users, “in the coming months.”
Last month, Google added picture-in-picture capability to its YouTube TV service for iOS users. It now appears that it is preparing to integrate the functionality into its normal YouTube service.