YouTube tests Play Something button for instant video action

YouTube’s place in it Streaming services Somewhat uniquely, its user-created content has arguably the most diverse collection of videos in the world. While this means there’s almost always something new for you to check out, the sheer number of viewing options available can definitely feel a bit overwhelming. Today we’re looking at an in-development tweak to the app that will soon provide a simple solution for when you find yourself can’t decide what to watch next.

Between subscriptions, suggestions and just Turn on autoplay Forget that, we’re not harmed by the choice of getting new YouTube videos right before our eyes. But Google appears to be considering a clearer option, making new movies available with as little friction as possible.

According to reports, YouTube was found to be testing a “play something” floating action button (FAB) 9 to 5 google. In its current form, the button is located near the bottom of the screen, and clicking it launches the Shorts player and immediately starts serving content to you. The site notes that even with this player format, it appears you can still get regular length (and aspect ratio) YouTube videos here.

Google has been experimenting with this idea and has discovered various implementations in testing. Back in May 2023, Reddit user ginacol Posted information about finding the “Have Something to Play” banner, that November Android Police Noticed a new FAB that appears to do the same thing – albeit ditching the “Play Something” branding. This latest round of testing appears to bring all of these early ideas together in one form.

While it feels like Google’s most mature phase of testing yet, it’s hard to say exactly when or if it will be ready to become a proper YouTube feature. As Google considers the future of Play Something, will it continue to conduct sporadic testing? Will it be available in YouTube Labs for testers to choose from? At this stage, we’d be happy to see Google decide to follow through one way or another.