YouTube is introducing its lightweight YouTube Go app in over 130 countries. This Android app is the redesigned version of the regular YouTube app and is optimised for users with poor connectivity or expensive data tariffs. It allows users to download videos for viewing offline.
YouTube Go was first launched in beta in India in September, 2016 and was then introduced in 14 countries including Indonesia, South Africa and Thailand. According to Google Play statistics, the app was downloaded 10 million times.
The new app comes with a set of new features. One of the highlights is that the users can share downloaded videos with friends who have installed the app. The other key features are that users can preview and the pick quality of videos before downloading them.
While the app is being rolled out in over 130 countries, the focus is still on locations that have limited access to cellular data. According to a YouTube spokesperson, the company does not have a plan to introduce YouTube Go to western countries such as United States, Canada, Germany, France, England as well as Japan and South Korea.
