YouTube makes it easier to access live content, in a TikTok sort of way
The saying goes that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and nowhere is that form of flattery more omnipresent than in the world of social apps. Whether it’sWhatsApp implementing Snapchat-esque self-destructing photosorInstagram offering short-form video capabilities made popular by TikTok, you may be sure that each company will do its best to compete feature-by-feature with rival services. YouTube continues the practice by adding a minor enhancement called “Live rings” to help you more easily identify and view channels that are actively live-streaming.
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The tweet includes a brief animation to illustrate how the Live ring looks, showing a circle around the channel’s avatar with a “LIVE” label displayed along the bottom. Not only does the presence of the ring alert you that a channel is live, tapping the avatar will immediately bring you right into the livestream. While it’s not a huge change, it will streamline finding and accessing the live YouTube content you’re interested in watching.
Of course, this isn’t the first YouTube feature to be inspired byimmensely popular platforms such as TikTok—YouTube Shorts, for example — nor is the company alone ingetting ideas from its competitors. But it’s hard to argue that small tweaks like Live rings aren’t helpful, providing a little polish to the user experience.
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