YouTube Redesigning Itself to Rival Amazon Prime Video

For a few years now, YouTube has been gradually transitioning into a streaming service, albeit it hasn’t been smooth and with this, the video platform has been trying to include third-party content since at least 2022, according to a recent article from The Information.

A new version of YouTube’s app for smart TVs that would look like Netflix is reportedly in the works. The video streaming service controlled by Alphabet is apparently going to include sponsored material from other services on its front page so that customers may find it with ease. Users of Amazon’s Prime Video may see content from outside providers and buy a subscription from within the app. While US users may pay to view TV channels on YouTube, the platform currently provides access to ad-free video streaming on a number of platforms.

YouTube is working on a significant makeover of its app for smart TVs, according to a report from The Information (via The Verge). According to the magazine, the new app’s UI will resemble those of well-known streaming services like Netflix and Disney+.

It’s important to remember that Alphabet’s video streaming platform currently allows users to sign up for third-party streaming services through the YouTube app for smart TV’s Movies and TV page. YouTube hasn’t launched a new third-party service in a long time, but these Primetime Channels include Max, Paramount+, and the anime streaming service Cruncyroll.

The idea is that you could sign up for services from Paramount Plus and Max straight through the YouTube app on your TV, just like how Amazon sells subscriptions to services like Starz and Showtimes. Nevertheless, the business found it difficult to combine the sponsored material with the free films that comprise your creator subscriptions and algorithm.

However, Prime Video displays these third-party services (such as Apple TV+) throughout the app, even on the main page. The software allows users to subscribe to different networks, and YouTube is allegedly trying to imitate the same setup.

Technically, the Movies and TV page is still where you can sign up for such services, but The Information claims that users weren’t searching there, so YouTube stopped adding services while it looked for a solution.

YouTube is allegedly working on a significant makeover to address the issue of sponsored content, given that the TV app has apparently been used to watch 1 billion hours of programming.

With rows of shows, this update would make the app more similar to Netflix or Disney Plus. Under the already-existing “Primetime Channels” title, paid services would have their own area.

According to Kurt Wilms, Senior Director of Product Management at YouTube, the app would provide a smooth interface that displays both third-party and YouTube creator material, as reported by The Information. He told the outlet, “The idea is that when you search for a show on our app, it will completely disappear whether it’s from a creator or a Primetime Channel.” He further said that “it’s all right there [on YouTube], regardless of the business model and content type.”

When users use the YouTube app, they will apparently see teasers for third-party content, including autoplaying samples, on the home screen. Although the firm has not yet made an official announcement, the source claims that a revised UI for its smart TV app will be available in the “next few months.”

Conversely, the makeover would enable YouTube producers to arrange their libraries into show sites with episodes and seasons, which was not previously possible. It could make it simpler to locate videos outside of the existing picky playlists, because many producers are already working in season mode or have long-running series.

The concept calls for the firm to resurrect and enlarge the Primetime Channels section, displaying all of the sponsored material that falls under it.

According to reports, the new design, which might make it simpler to locate both types of content, will debut in the “coming months.”