Looks like YouTube might have begun rolling out picture-in-picture support for all users of its iOS app. A Cult of Mac reader reports the feature started working on his iPhone on Wednesday, and he’s not a YouTube Premium subscriber.
Beta testing for the PiP feature is scheduled to end April 8, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the rollout had already begun.
YouTube picture-in-picture is (almost) here
PiP makes videos easier to enjoy because people can use their iPhone or iPad to multitask while also watching. It’s a feature long since available on many rival applications, including Apple TV. But not the YouTube app.
But the wait is almost over. In February, YouTube chief product officer Neal Mohan said picture-in-picture support will be added to the iPhone and iPad applications “hopefully in the next few months.” The feature has been in beta for YouTube Premium members since mid-2021 and testing is scheduled to end April 8.
And on Wednesday, Miquel Barlow told Cult of Mac that, “YouTube PiP is working, I am not a YouTube Premium subscriber and have not jailbroken my iPhone.” He sent an image and video as proof.
Screenshots: Miquel Barlow
No one at Cult of Mac can confirm this with our own iPhones, but that’s how rollouts work. YouTube could have begun giving a few users access to the feature as part of testing.
At some point, YouTube will announce that picture-in-picture support is available for all iPhone and iPad users of its application — probably via Twitter. That’s what it did recently when PiP support YouTube TV for started rolling out.
To be clear, some iPhone web browsers can already do YouTube PiP video. But YouTube is adding the feature to its iOS application, and not just for Premium subscribers. It’s a feature that’s long been available for users of the Android app.
