Tonight, the YouTube website has started allowing iOS 14 devices to use the built-in Picture in Picture functionality for its videos even without a Premium account.
This is an apparent reversal of a change that YouTube explicitly made following the release of iOS 14 which blocked such behavior. At that time, YouTube would only allow that capability for users with Premium accounts. Tonight's change means that any YouTube visitor can use Picture in Picture in Safari.
iOS 14 introduced native Picture in Picture capability to the iPhone for the first time, however, apps have to explicitly support the feature. YouTube's native app has never supported Picture in Picture for any of its users even though iPadOS has offered the capability for some time. There have been reports that YouTube has been testing this feature, but there have been no announcements.
As a result, iOS 14 users have had to resort to using YouTube in Safari as a workaround. Since there have been no announcements either way, it's unclear if this change is permanent or not.
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker.
In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued.
The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by Joe Rossignol
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week.
Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far.
Apple Intelligence for Siri
Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19.
"Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag.
The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle.
Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models.
In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
Friday February 14, 2025 6:03 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple released the HomePod mini in November 2020, followed by the AirTag in May 2021, and both still remain first-generation products.
Fortunately, rumors suggest that both the HomePod mini and the AirTag will finally be updated at some point this year.
Below, we recap rumors about the HomePod mini 2 and AirTag 2.
HomePod mini 2
In January 2025, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is ...
Monday February 17, 2025 2:30 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple will begin selling new MacBook Air models featuring its latest M4 chip by March "at the latest," mirroring the time frame of the M3 MacBook Air launch last year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple last updated the MacBook Air line in March 2024.
Gurman's comments appeared in his latest Power On newsletter, suggesting the reporter is no further forward on learning the exact...
Monday February 17, 2025 6:53 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
YouTube channel Front Page Tech today revealed the alleged design of Apple's widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" model, set to launch later this year.
"iPhone 17 Air" render created by @zellzoi for Front Page Tech
In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech shared renders depicting what it believes is likely the final design of the "iPhone 17 Air." The device is expected to feature an ultra-thin...
How about you let me use it from the app itself? It should be free as a part of iOS, but I am also a premium subscriber. I wish there were a YouTube alternative. Unfortunately, due to the (insane) number of ads it is actually worth it TO ME to subscribe even if I get jacked over and don't get PiP from the app.
How about you let me use it from the app itself? It should be free as a part of iOS, but I am also a premium subscriber. I wish there were a YouTube alternative. Unfortunately, due to the (insane) number of ads it is actually worth it TO ME to subscribe even if I get jacked over and don't get PiP from the app.
Honestly, YouTube is a pretty shameful company.
You should really consider using an ad blocker. They get rid of all Youtube ads. More importantly, they get rid of a lot of dangerous ads.
Enabling in Safari works perfect for me as that is how I view YouTube in my iPhone. I have an adblocker that completely removes all ads embedded to the videos.
YouTube provides nearly unlimited entertainment. You think they give this out for free? Ads are the only thing that’s keeping the website running. Those servers storing those videos aren’t cheap to maintain. It’s also how creators get paid as well, the creators can choose how many ads show up in a video.
They have a paid subscription if you don’t want to see ads, what’s there to complain about again?
The issue with YouTube Premium is the cost. It is not providing sufficient value for money for us as customers. £11.99 per month to remove ads is completely excessive, and they have purposely degraded the free experience (in app) in order to annoy customers into subscribing.
If Google let us pay to remove ads in the app and have background playback at a reasonable price I’d pay for it because I use the YouTube app a lot. But they bundle it with a music streaming service I have no interest in, and YouTube originals which I also have no interest in.
