Ever had the experience of watching a YouTube video when suddenly the volume goes from quiet to unbearably loud, startling you? YouTube is currently testing a new feature called “stable volume” to ensure a more balanced volume experience. This information was initially observed on Reddit and confirmed by M. Brandom Lee. The feature employs AI technology to maintain an even volume level across the videos, thereby mitigating sudden loud or quiet moments. This new addition is part of a series of beta features that Google often tests with a select group of customers before deciding on a broader rollout. The “stable volume” feature can be manually turned on and off for each video, giving users the autonomy to control their viewing experience. As of now, the testing phase seems limited to mobile devices, with the feature being accessible only on a very small number of devices. The main unanswered questions revolve around whether this feature will be available for all videos, or if it will be restricted to select pre-scanned videos. Another point of uncertainty is whether this feature will be exclusive to YouTube Premium users. For now, these questions can only be answered when YouTube officially announces the full feature, probably very soon.
Quizzes: An Attempt Towards More Educational Content
In addition to the audio normalizer, YouTube is also taking steps towards making its platform more educational. The video-sharing giant has started rolling out quizzes that content creators can make for their videos. Following an educational video, viewers will have the option to take a quiz, enabling them to evaluate their understanding of the content.
Enhancing Playback Control with Long-Press Feature
YouTube is testing another feature aimed at improving user interaction with the platform: a long-press functionality to adjust the playback speed of videos. Currently available for YouTube Premium subscribers to opt into, this feature allows users to long-press on the video player and set the playback speed to 2x. This simplifies the process of changing playback speed, which previously involved multiple steps, both on mobile and desktop interfaces. The inspiration for this feature seems to come from TikTok, where a long press on a video brings up several options, including a playback speed menu. YouTube’s experiment is scheduled to last until August 13th.
Audio Normalizers: Not a New Concept
The idea of audio normalizers is not new. Popular music streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music have already adopted this technology to control sudden increases in volume. There are also several device-level apps that perform the same function. The Apple Music streaming service is a good example of a platform that already successfully employs this feature.
Conclusion
These new developments demonstrate YouTube’s commitment to enhancing the user experience. By testing features like “stable volume”, quizzes, and an easier method of adjusting playback speed, YouTube is striving to make its platform more user-friendly and interactive. As of now, the accessibility and availability of these features are limited, but there are promising signs of broader implementation in the near future.