In last September's Google for India event we announced YouTube Go, our YouTube app reimagined for the next generation of YouTube users. Today, after months of expanded testing and refinement, we're happy to announce that we're making the beta version of YouTube Go available for download on the Google Play Store in India.
You'll recall that every aspect of YouTube Go was designed from the ground up, with four main principles in mind: It's relatable, with fresh and relevant video recommendations tailored to your preferences; the app is designed to be offline first and improve the experience of watching videos on a slower network; it gives you more control over data usage, by providing choice and transparency into the amount of data spent on streaming or saving videos. And finally, it's social, allowing you to share videos quickly and easily with friends nearby.
Key features of YouTube Go include:
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A home built for you: YouTube Go home screen features trending and popular videos in your area, so that you can find and discover videos that you and your community care about.
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Preview videos before you save or watch: On YouTube Go we'll show you a preview of the video when you tap on a thumbnail, giving you a better sense of what the video is about before you decide if you want to watch it.
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Choose your resolution when saving or streaming videos: You can choose to save a video for offline viewing later or stream it now. And we also allow you to choose the amount of data you'd like to spend on that video.
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Share videos with friends nearby: Share videos with friends and family nearby without using any data. You can send and receive videos instantly and offline with others using the YouTube Go app.
To get us to this point, we've worked hard on refining the features that you've inspired us to build, gaining new insights along the way. Some things we've learned in the run-up to this beta release include making the home screen fresher and more relevant for users, so they can find amazing videos easily. We've also worked hard behind the scenes to make sharing videos with nearby friends an even more seamless experience, and ensuring that the app works well across a wide range of phones and connectivity. While the app is in its beta release, we'll continue to listen to your feedback and improve the app before launching more broadly. We'll also be holding several activities in Udaipur over the upcoming weeks to glean more insights from users on the ground.
If you're in India, we hope you download the beta from the Google Play store today, and let us know what you think by leaving your feedback within the app. As before, if you'd like to find out when YouTube Go is fully ready, you can sign up at youtubego.com/signup.
With the rapid transformation sweeping India's mobile internet landscape, we know there will be an even greater demand for a fast and accessible video app. Thank you for continually inspiring us to build better products for the next generation, and to helping us make YouTube Go the best video app for you.
Posted by Jay Akkad, Product Manager, YouTube, recently watched "Vidya Vox @ YouTube FanFest India 2017."
