Google is rolling out a new customizable Multiview feature for YouTube TV while also testing a new ad format for YouTube live streams.
The updates affect both live TV viewing and how ads are shown during live content.
YouTube TV already offers a Multiview feature that lets users watch two, three, or four channels at the same time. The tool has been especially useful during sports seasons, where viewers may want to follow several live matches at once.
Until now, Multiview has mostly relied on pre-selected combinations curated by the platform, but now users are starting to see a fully customizable version that allows them to choose their own channel combinations.
The new feature does not appear tied to a specific app version. Reports suggest it is being enabled through a server-side rollout, meaning availability may vary as it gradually reaches devices.
Google has not publicly explained why full customization was not available earlier, though technical limitations involving simultaneous streaming and playback may have been a factor.
Google is also expanding its “side-by-side” ad format for YouTube live streams.
These ads already appear on TV and desktop, where an advertisement is shown at the bottom of the screen while the live stream continues playing above it. During the ad, the stream audio is muted instead of the video being paused entirely.
Google says it has started testing the same ad format on mobile devices. The format may allow viewers to keep watching live action while ads run, though muted audio could reduce usefulness depending on the content being streamed.
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