YouTube is testing out a new method for its users to consume the millions of videos that are on their platform. It has to do with how we view the next or going back to the previous window, previous users will have to either tap on the next video or press the arrow icon after the video ends. With this new feature, users will simply need to swipe on the screen.
It is definitely a faster way to navigate the YouTube UI on a smartphone as the feature allows you to swipe anywhere on the screen to get to the next video. Swiping from right to left, will load up the video in the Up Next section and left to right will go back to the previous video you were watching, making it much easier and faster rather than waiting for the next button to appear. The feature is probably something they have taken from Android P’s new recent apps feature where you can move back and forth between apps using the same swiping method.
However, just like all new features, this feature is available to selected users and you can expect a full rollout in the coming weeks. You can try it out on your phone’s YouTube app and see if you are one of the lucky ones that have this feature enabled.