YouTube Makes a Subtle, Yet Impactful UX Design Change

YouTube was the first video streaming platform on the web, but unfortunately…it looks like a streaming platform for the web. However, with their new “Ambient View” mode, watching longer content on the site will be less like watching a thumbnail moving on a white webpage. The viewing mode will darken the browser or app window and lightly reflect colors from the media,  just like they bounce off of a tv screen, to better simulate a traditional tv viewing experience. They’ve also introduced other subtle interface improvements, like pinch-to-zoom, which go to show that a functional, intentional design upgrade doesn’t always have to be dramatic.