YouTube users will soon get a new feature to help them drift off to sleep while watching videos- which will be a solution to a major ongoing issue. YouTube app is set to introduce a new sleep timer feature for Android users. At present, the video streaming platform lacks an inbuilt function to stop playback after a set period- as videos continue to play continuously until it is manually stopped. This has been a significant upgrade for the platform, especially for the users who prefer to watch videos before sleeping.
Sleep Timer feature on YouTube (Android app)
As per the reports, the recent app update for sleep timers in YouTube's Android app is under development. However, the discovery was made by examining code strings within the app, which indicates that the platform is preparing itself to roll out the much-requested feature for the platform.
How the Sleep Timer will work?
- The upcoming sleep timer feature will enable Android users to set a specific duration for video playback.
- Once the timer runs out, playback will automatically stop.
- If you are still awake, then you will have the option to reset the timer or continue watching the video without it.
- Users will not be able to specify the exact number of hours and minutes for the timer
- A notification will be displayed for the remaining time, to ensure easy management.
YouTube and other apps: Comparison
While YouTube Music and various other streaming platforms and podcast apps have already implemented sleep timers, YouTube (the main platform) has been lacking this for a very long time. On iOS devices, users could set a system-wide timer, that ends all playback when it expires- which has been mitigating the issue.
However, Android users did not have any similarity for the inbuilt option, making the addition of a native sleep timer in the YouTube app more significant.
Expected benefits for the user
The introduction of a sleep timer on YouTube will provide convenience for Android users who prefer to watch videos as they fall asleep. This feature will not only enhance user experience but also align YouTube with other media apps that already offer this functionality.
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