YouTube is testing a new format for viewing long videos like Shorts

YouTube can launch infinite scrolling with autoplay for long videos, like in Shorts. When you scroll up, the next video starts, and so on ad infinitum. The experiment, which launched back in August for some Android users, is part of testing the platform’s new content recommendation system.

Image source: Copilot

YouTube spokesperson Allison Toh confirmed the testing: “We’re running an experiment with a small group of Android users, allowing them to scroll up to play new videos in both portrait and full-screen modes.” So far, the test covers a limited number of users, and it is not a fact that the function will be implemented everywhere, notes The Verge. However, the very appearance of such an idea signals possible changes on the platform.

The introduction of an endless feed like on TikTok could radically change the way you watch videos on YouTube. Nowadays, users choose videos based on covers and titles, often based on recommendations or their subscriptions. In TikTok, content plays automatically, and users just need to scroll through the feed. This format is considered more effective, as it minimizes the viewer’s efforts and allows the algorithm to quickly adapt to their preferences.

Additionally, moving to an endless feed could eliminate the need for content creators to pay a lot of attention to video covers and titles. Nowadays, many YouTubers spend a significant amount of time creating attractive pictures, which directly affects the number of views. For example, popular blogger Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) admitted that his team develops at least a hundred thumbnails for each video, trying to find the most clickable option. And this approach has already become the standard for many content creators.

However, the innovation also has a downside. The endless feed assumes that the algorithm, rather than the viewer or creator, will play the main role in selecting content for the user. This removes the ability for bloggers to control how their videos are presented on the platform. As a result, authors will be forced to increasingly focus on the system’s algorithms, which are often aimed not at promoting quality content, but at retaining the viewer’s attention.

Despite the possible benefits for viewers, this transformation, many say, could lead to the loss of YouTube’s uniqueness as a platform where content creators can develop communities and build businesses. In the event of a complete transition to the endless feed format, YouTube risks becoming another version of TikTok, which will change its ecosystem as a whole.