YouTube has been trending toward becoming more of a streaming service for a few years now, though it hasn’t been seamless.
A new report from The Information claims that the video platform has attempted to integrate third-party content since at least 2022.
Similar to how Amazon offers subscriptions to services like Starz and Showtimes, the idea is that you could sign up for services from Paramount Plus and Max directly via the YouTube app on your TV. However, the company struggled to integrate the paid content with the free videos that make up your algorithm and creator subscriptions.
Technically, you can sign up for those services still in the Movies and TV tab, but according to The Information, people weren’t looking there, and YouTube halted adding services as it searched for a solution.
How about a redesign?
With a claimed 1 billion hours of content watched via the TV app, YouTube is reportedly working on a massive redesign to solve the paid content problem.
This revamp would make the app look more like Netflix or Disney Plus, with rows of shows. Paid services would get their own section under the “Primetime Channels” label, which already exists.
“No matter what the business model is, no matter what the content type is, it’s all right there [on YouTube],” senior director of product management Kurt Wilms told The Information.
YouTube creator libraries could change as well
On a smaller but interesting note, the redesign would allow YouTube creators to organize their libraries into show pages with episodes and seasons, something that hasn’t been available previously. With many creators already working in a season mode or having long-running shows, it could make it easier to find videos outside of the current finicky playlists.
“The vision is that when you come to our [TV] app, and you’re looking for a show, it’ll just blend away whether that show is from a Primetime Channel or that show is from a creator,” Wilms added.
The new design, which may make finding both kinds of content easier, will allegedly launch in the “coming months.”
