Sleep Timer on YouTube: A New Feature in the Works
In a report by Android Authority, in collaboration with tipster AssembleDebug, intriguing details have emerged about a potential new feature for YouTube: the sleep timer. As the name suggests, this feature would allow users to set a sleep timer, enabling them to specify the duration for video playback before it automatically stops. The discovery was made during an APK teardown of the YouTube app for Android version 19.25.33.
According to references found within the app, users may be able to specify the hours and minutes until video playback ceases. Additionally, the feature may show up as a notification, offering options such as “You can reset the timer or click done to keep watching.” While YouTube is speculated to get this sleep timer feature in a future update, it's worth noting that YouTube Music – the platform's music streaming app – already has a similar functionality. However, it remains unclear if YouTube's sleep timer will operate in the same manner.
In YouTube Music, the sleep timer appears in the Now Playing menu at the bottom of the screen. Once activated, playback automatically stops after the specified time has elapsed. This feature could be particularly useful for users who enjoy falling asleep to videos but don't want their devices running all night.
Disrupting Ad Blockers: A New Strategy
In another significant development, YouTube is reportedly testing a new method to disrupt ad blockers by injecting server-side ads. Currently, ads are overlayed on top of the video player at specified timestamps, which ad blockers can easily bypass. However, with this new approach, YouTube is speculated to merge ads directly into the video stream, making it a continuous flow rather than two separate elements.
This change could potentially make it more challenging for ad blockers to identify and remove ads, thereby ensuring that advertisements reach viewers as intended. While this move may not be welcomed by all users, it represents a strategic effort by YouTube to maintain its advertising revenue stream in the face of increasingly sophisticated ad-blocking technologies.
As these developments unfold, they highlight YouTube's ongoing efforts to enhance user experience while also addressing challenges posed by ad blockers. Whether it's through introducing a sleep timer or innovating ad delivery methods, YouTube continues to evolve in response to user needs and market dynamics.
