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YouTube update allows shared video playback on iPhone through iMessage without exiting the app

An update on Tuesday morning to the YouTube app brings video sharing and inline viewing to iMessage without recipients needing to leave the application.

The new update alters the share button slightly, and adds Messages as a potential sharing target. Users then select the recipient, and a link to the video is shared.

Once received, the video link can be tapped to play it without departing the app. A second tap enlarges the video to full screen.

Initial AppleInsider examination of the feature shows slightly slower video transfer speed through iMessage than through the browser or native YouTube app. It is unclear specifically why — but the slower buffering did not interfere with the video presentation at all.

Beyond bug fixes and the deeper Messages integration of video, there appears to be no additional features added to the app.

Version 12.38 of the YouTube app requires iOS 9 or later, and has an Apple TV version. It requires 166Mb of device storage space.



7 Comments

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LukeCage 8 Years · 166 comments

Messages is really becoming a strong platform, especially when Apple Pay comes to messages later in fall as well as Apple Pay Cash. The inclusion of Apple Pay Cash will literally turn Apple into a bank, it will be interesting to see where Apple goes on from there.  

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dewme 10 Years · 5780 comments

I wonder what impact this may have on the security and privacy of iMessage? Letting Google inside the iMessage platform seems like a risky venture.

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gatorguy 13 Years · 24634 comments

dewme said:
I wonder what impact this may have on the security and privacy of iMessage? Letting Google inside the iMessage platform seems like a risky venture.

If it were risky I'd be pretty surprised for Apple to allow it. Wouldn't you be?

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StrangeDays 8 Years · 12988 comments

dewme said:
I wonder what impact this may have on the security and privacy of iMessage? Letting Google inside the iMessage platform seems like a risky venture.

One of the tent poles of iOS 10 was to offer developer app hooks for iMessage apps. 

I’m more annoyed that the youtube app doesn’t allow optionally adding the minute marker to a video’s link when sharing it. For some reason you must load the non mobile site into a web browser to do this basic task. Lame. 

lostkiwi 18 Years · 640 comments

gatorguy said:
dewme said:
I wonder what impact this may have on the security and privacy of iMessage? Letting Google inside the iMessage platform seems like a risky venture.
If it were risky I'd be pretty surprised for Apple to allow it. Wouldn't you be?

Nobody and nothing is infallible, GG. Apple have made mistakes in the past and will do in the future. 

Many on the AI boards do not share your rose tinted opinions of the folk at Mountain View.  I had exactly the same thoughts as dewme.