YouTube has released an update that will enable it to playback videos even in the vertical format, sans the black bars on the sides that otherwise would have been omnipresent. According to Google, this has been achieved by making the videos to automatically adjust the aspect ratio to the available screen real estate.
The above change would ensure all videos be it the standard 16:9 aspect ratio that YouTube had originally been designed for or the 4:3 format will henceforth be flexible enough to adjust automatically to the target device’s screen size. The change will mean the 4:3 content would be looking wider and taller while the 16:9 videos too will be bigger than usual given that the margin and white space would be reduced to a minimum.
The change is being rolled out gradually on a global scale and could take some time for all to experience the difference. That said, not everyone seems to be pleased with the latest update, as exemplified with the plethora of comments on the YouTube Help Forums thread who have vented their ire against the move. Most of them have also sought ways to revert back to the old format, something that they might have become used to over the years.
Among the complaints that have been posted on the help, forum pages include those that claim the videos aren’t getting displayed in its entirety. Some also said the video quality is getting affected too, with them being forced to view videos of lower resolution.
Worth mentioning, the above change has already been available on the iOS and Android versions of the app for some time already. The web version is among the last to get the update though, given the widespread resentment against the same, it remains to be seen whether YouTube will revert back to the old format; or offer an option for the same at least.
Meanwhile, the above update comes close on the heels of another update rolled out recently which enabled dark mode on an Android version of the YouTube app.
