What you need to know
- Google has summed up a bunch of improvements introduced to YouTube on Android TV.
- YouTube now allows you to like or dislike a video and subscribe to channels using your voice when watching videos on your smart TV.
- Shorts contents are showing up in search results, and a Podcasts topic page has been added to the app.
Google has rolled out a slew of improvements to the YouTube app on Android TV, including support for additional Google Assistant commands, the availability of Shorts content in search results, the addition of a Podcasts topic page, and more.
In a community post, YouTube says that you can now use Google Assistant to like or dislike a video you've stumbled upon just by saying, "Hey Google, like this video." Additionally, you'll be able to subscribe to or unsubscribe from a channel using the appropriate voice prompt.
This expands the list of available voice commands that you can already use to control YouTube content you watch on your Android TV. These commands allow you to play, pause, rewind, or go to the next media without lifting a finger.
YouTube Shorts have also started appearing in search results. It's not entirely surprising, seeing as the video-sharing platform brought this TikTok-like content format to smart TVs last year. The latest change is only the logical next step.
If you're a fan of podcasts, you'll be pleased to learn that YouTube is adding a new Podcasts topic page to your Android TV. The new page can be accessed under the "More" tab in the navigation menu. As you keep watching podcasts, the page will move to the top of the menu.
YouTube's recommended shelf has also picked up a nifty improvement that should refresh recommendations as you sift through the section. This means you'll never run out of recommended videos as long as you keep scrolling through the shelf.
Finally, it's now easier to switch between different YouTube accounts on your TV using a new account switcher, similar to the one introduced to Android TV earlier this year. The account switcher also allows you to directly switch to your child’s profile in the YouTube Kids app.
