YouTube to roll out Shorts to smart TVs and gaming consoles

YouTube’s short-form videos feature, also known as Shorts, will soon roll out on smart TVs (launched after 2019) and newer gaming consoles, Google announced in a blog post. Originally built for smartphones, Shorts includes user-generated videos shot in portrait format with a duration of “under 60 seconds”.  

Images of YouTube Shorts on TV still show a wide blank space on both sides of the video, which the company is now trying to fill with text, video descriptions, reactions, and share buttons. Earlier, these elements would appear on the top of the video as it still does on YouTube’s smartphone app. On TVs, it will show on the right side of the screen.  

YouTube’s UX directors Brynn Evans and Melanie Fitzgerald explained in the blog post (mentioned earlier) that the company experimented with three different layouts — the conventional video player, the customised version, and the Jukebox style, where multiple Shorts would show on the screen side by side to fill the banal space.  

The company finally went with the customised version, which puts text and other elements in the black space next to the video.  

“We simplified the design of the right side rail but will be looking to bring additional functionality in future releases. We believe that this experience balances the fun, and quirkiness of Shorts in a way that feels natural for TV,” the UX directors said in the blog post.  

Short-form videos were made popular by ByteDance’s TikTok social media platform, which was banned in India in July 2020 over allegations of threat to national security. However, it is still available in other markets and continues to be the most downloaded app on Play Store and App Store.  

Following its success, other social networks including YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram also rolled out similar features on their platforms. After the ban on TikTok, several of its Indian users rushed to India-born short-form social networks such as Chingari, Moj, and Josh.   

According to a 2021 RedSeer report, short-form video platforms are expected to double their monthly active user base to 650 million by 2025 and present a monetisation opportunity of $19 billion by 2030.