August will mark the end of YouTube’s Go app, which has made it possible to watch videos with less Internet data on your smartphone.
YouTube Go was developed in 2016 in a context where cellular data connections, which are particularly expensive, are more unstable and sometimes even prevent regular application from running, especially for entry-level smartphones. .
This version of YouTube, which weighs only 10 MB, does not allow you to comment or add likes, publish, create content or even use a dark theme.
Its beta version was first deployed in India and Indonesia, then in over a hundred countries in 2018.
Technologies have improved over the years and upgrades have also been made to YouTube’s core application, allowing it to perform better even when the network is unstable.
The video site said it is working on a feature that will reduce Internet data usage in its regular app, but no launch schedule has been announced.
What’s the future for lightweight versions?
This announcement from YouTube may signal the beginning of the end for applications that require less bandwidth.
It must be said that Meta, formerly Facebook’s group, announced in March 2021 the launch of a lightweight Instagram application to accommodate social network users in places and communities without fast internet access.
Android also announced version 12 of its own lite mode, Android Go, which since 2017 has allowed its low-end phones to operate while reducing Internet data usage.
For YouTube Go, users have until August to switch to the regular YouTube app.
Source: Radio-Canada
