YouTube launches fresh new homepage on iOS and Android tablets and desktops

By Mark Jansen November 7, 2019

Get ready to see YouTube in a fresh new light. Interface updates are rolling out across desktop and Android and iOS tablets, and both platforms will also be getting some great new tools to facilitate your YouTube addiction.

The goals of the changes are to make finding new videos easier, as well as pinpointing new content from creators you love. As such, video thumbnails have been made larger and video titles have been given more room to allow for longer, more descriptive titles. In addition, channel icons are also now visible, making it easy to quickly identify a video from a favorite channel.

Regular YouTubers may be dismayed by the apparent disappearance of some content shelves for breaking news, music mixes, and others, but they are still there, and you’ll be able to find them beneath the fold.

It’s not just about making icons larger though, and YouTube has also added some much-needed features to desktop and tablets. Namely, the Add to queue option mobile users have been enjoying for ages. When the update rolls out, you’ll be able to find an Add to queue button in the top-right of a video’s thumbnail, just below the Watch later button. Tap the new button and the video will be added to a Now playing playlist and will play when your current video has finished. It’s the perfect tool for YouTube binge-watching, and a very welcome addition.

Finally, you can also now strip out recommendations from channels you’d rather not see. Similar to the Not interested option, Don’t recommend channel indicates to YouTube you’d really rather not see on your homepage. You’ll still be able to find that channel’s videos through YouTube search and on the Trending tab, but they should no longer show up on your homepage.

The changes are rolling out for YouTube on desktops, laptops, and Android and iOS tablets, and you should test it out by watching some of the funniest YouTube videos of all time.

More changes and additions are coming to desktops, tablets, and iOS devices soon — including the ability to select your favorite topics for your homepage in order to fill it with related videos. According to YouTube, that and more new features will be coming soon.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Mobile

Bixby vs. Google Assistant: Which AI is better for you?

google assistant mobile.

AI digital assistants and chatbots (like ChatGPT) are huge now, and there are more than a few to choose from. If you, like many Android phone owners, have a Samsung device, then you have the choice between two AI assistants: the Google-backed Google Assistant and Samsung's Bixby.
What are the differences between the two assistants, and which one is better for you? Is Bixby better than Google Assistant, or should you go all-in with Google's AI? We compared Bixby and the Google Assistant to find out.
Bixby vs. Google Assistant: device integration

Google Assistant is available on all Google Nest and Home products, including Android TVs, lights, security cams, speakers, and more. Google Assistant is also available on Android Auto, so you can use the virtual assistant to execute commands when you’re driving. Google Assistant is available on other brands' smart devices too, so you can use Google's voice assistant on Lenovo's Smart Home System. You'll also find it in all of the best Android phones, but did you know you can also download and use it on Apple iPhones as well?
Samsung’s Bixby, on the other hand, is limited to Samsung devices, like the Galaxy S23 Ultra. It's also limited to only being able to control other devices via the SmartThings app, rather than having native support. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it is more restricted. However, full functionality of Bixby is limited to newer devices, so unlike Google Assistant, which tends to be available to older devices, you'll need to keep upgrading to get the most out of Bixby.
This won’t matter much for users who’ve been using Samsung devices for years and want to continue investing in new Samsung products, but if you live with people using different Android devices, Google Assistant might be a better option for smoother integration across devices.
The winner is pretty clear here. Google Assistant is available on a lot more devices, including Apple iPhones, and helps you to create a comprehensive system for convenient use.
Winner: Google Assistant
Bixby vs. Google Assistant: performance and accessibility

Mobile

I’ve used Android phones for 10 years, and I hate these ones the most

pixel 4 xl rear sticking out

I’ve been using and reviewing Android smartphones for at least a decade, and during that time, I’ve spent time with a massive variety of devices that mostly fall into three distinct categories: good, passable, and bad. But what about the ones that have really stirred my emotions in a negative way? The phones that have elicited a visceral, guttural response? I’m not talking about the ones I love, but the ones I’ve downright hated.

Here are the six models that have irked me the most over the last 10 years of using and reviewing smartphones, and the reasons why they’ve made this list.
Google Pixel 4

Mobile

I created the perfect iPhone home screen — and you can too

iPhone 14 Pro with custom home screen icons and widgets

With iOS 14, Apple began to open the floodgates for software customization on the iPhone. For the first time, you could add widgets to the home screen and even change app icons to custom ones without the need for a jailbreak. And iOS 16 gave us some more customization options in the form of the lock screen, although the interface for that is su-par, to say the least.

While I see a lot of people still use a stock grid layout on their home screen, I took some time when iOS 14 first came out to customize my iOS experience. I enjoy that it’s not just a boring grid of stock icons — having custom icons and widgets really mix things up a bit and gives me a more informative home screen.