Finally, picture-in-picture mode on YouTube is now on iOS, but…

The YouTube app on iOS and iPadOS has finally got the long-awaited picture-in-picture mode. In the end, everyone should get the option, but initially the functionality will only come to users who pay for the Premium subscription initially. However, there is a formidable caveat. So do not count that soon you will be able to use the mode yourself.

With Picture-in-Picture mode, you can watch a YouTube video, as it were, while doing something else on your iPhone or iPad. The video will then be displayed in a small window that you can move around as needed. So you can chat with someone, do your banking or do something else while watching a video. So, for example, you no longer have to interrupt your video when you want to reply to a message.

YouTube has a popular feature on iOS

Google has since confirmed that Picture in Picture mode is coming to the app on iOS and iPadOS. But there are caveats. As mentioned, the feature initially only comes to Premium users. Only then will a release for non-paying users follow. However, this only applies to people in the United States.

This is very annoying for people outside the United States. So we in Europe have to wait a little longer to get this feature. Soon, users who pay in the US will have access to this option. But it is not clear how long non-paying users will have to wait. It is also unknown if Google intends to roll out picture-in-picture mode in other countries.

Picture in Picture on iOS and iPadOS

With the release of iOS 9 for iPad and iOS 13 for iPhone, Apple added support for picture-in-picture. Since then, the apps are technically able to display small video windows while you do something else. Apps like Netflix already use this, but support from YouTube has been limited so far.

Macrumors