Sophie Blake
YouTube has become more popular on TV screens than on mobile devices in the United States. Neal Mohan, YouTube’s CEO, announced in the company’s annual letter that viewers are consuming over 1 billion hours of content daily on their televisions. This milestone underscores the platform’s growing dominance in living rooms, cementing its status as a leading entertainment hub.
This trend has been fueled by YouTube’s strategic upgrades to its TV app, transforming it into a comprehensive streaming service. The platform now offers features akin to traditional streaming giants, including enhanced navigation and interactive functionalities. Among the notable changes, users can access video comments and descriptions on-screen while content plays, making the experience more dynamic. The introduction of “seasons” for video series and the Watch With feature, which allows creators to provide real-time commentary on events, has further enriched the viewing experience.
Mohan emphasized that YouTube’s version of television is redefining traditional media. “For more and more people, watching TV means watching YouTube,” he wrote. “But the ‘new’ television doesn’t look like the ‘old’ television. It’s interactive and includes things like Shorts, podcasts, and live streams, right alongside the sports, sitcoms, and talk shows people already love.” Even YouTube Shorts, primarily associated with mobile viewing, are gaining traction on TV screens, demonstrating the adaptability of various content formats.
Additionally, YouTube TV, the platform’s live TV streaming service, has amassed over 8 million subscribers despite recent price increases. Meanwhile, YouTube Premium and Music subscriptions have surpassed 100 million, including trial users. Although these figures have remained steady since last year, Mohan assured users that improvements are on the horizon. The company plans to enhance popular features like Key Plays and multiview for sports fans and introduce more benefits for YouTube Premium subscribers.
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