Google confounds Wear OS users with reference to mysterious YouTube app
Back in May,YouTube Music for Wear OS got some long-overdue attention, picking up a bunch of new functionality. With access to scores of songs, playlists, and podcasts right on your wrist (as long as you have a data connection to stream the content), the app actually makes a lot of sense — it’s not like you need a ton of screen real estate for all that. But what about regular YouTube on smartwatches? Is anyone asking for that? How would it even work? We’re facing a lot of unexpected questions like that, after Google published a picture showing YouTube among a list of Wear OS apps — before unceremoniously sweeping it under the rug.
Google recentlyrebranded Google Pay to Google Walletacross Android devices, including wearables, in markets around the globe. The company’sWear OS help pagedetailing that change included a few screenshots which perhaps gave away more than they were intended to. Although Google Wallet was front and center on the app list, YouTube was also there, poking out at the bottom
On one hand, we suppose it is possible that we could see the eventual release of a YouTube app on Wear OS. Then again, this could have just as easily been part of some UI mock-up that pulled from a list of popular Google apps, without taking enough care to consider which actually have Wear OS counterparts.
Sure, a smartwatch screen certainly seems way too small and inconvenient for watching videos, there might just be niche cases where it could seem like a good idea. Even as we wonder if this app is even real or not, Redditors are speculating how YouTube on your wrist could be aboon for dog-walkers, or might be a greatwrist-borne Chromecast controller.
Google has not said anything about possible plans to make the video streaming app available on your wrist, and we probably aren’t ready for that shocker just yet. After the screenshot had been live on its support page for a couple days, Google silently removed it, presumably in response to all the speculation it was generating. So far, the company has yet to share any explanation for what we all saw.
If you want YouTube on your Wear OS smartwatch right away, you’re going to have to roll the dice with athird-party app.
Thanks:Mishaal
UPDATE: 2022/07/22 11:45 EST BY STEPHEN SCHENCK
Screenshot removed
This post has been updated to reflect Google pulling the screenshot under discussion from itssupport page.
The note-taking app I should have used all along
Broader branding hints at wider paid-tier ambitions
Goodbye, text-only analysis
Generative AI, now poolside
Get 14 ports for $170
Expanded dark theme is here
