YouTube preps fast forward and rewind capabilities for its Android app
It’s showing up for some who have the version 10.43 update to YouTube’s Android app.
Android Police spotted the code strings that reference the feature in an APK teardown. Shortly thereafter, a YouTube video appeared with someone showing off the features in real time.
While the code may enable fast forward and rewind, it might need a server-side update on Google’s part to actually turns the capability on. So even if you grab the APK or Play Store update, you may have to be patient. There’s no indication it’s only for YouTube Red subscribers, so look for it to come your way soon.
The other changes are pretty minor. Google added a splash of color to the Playlist feature and squeezed the interface elements in videos closer together.
Why this matters: Now that YouTube Red nixes the ads, it make sense to enable new tools for zipping through a video or going back to re-watch a favorite scene. It will be worth watching to see if this turns into some kind of extra value-add for YouTube Red subscribers. For example, perhaps those on the free tier might have to sit through more ads if they shift back and forth too many times on the same video. YouTube is undergoing quite the sea change, so expect more of these types of features to roll out.