YouTube Go beta launches in India; to tackle slow-network service

Tired of buffering videos on YouTube, Well, you might not have to anymore. Google has tested its new application called YouTube Go. It is a online shareable video product that the company had announced in India last year. The application debuted on Wednesday for android users, and is available on Google Play Store.




Launched by Google at its ‘Google for India’ event in September 2016, the main highlight of the application is to get compatible with slow-network, as internet connectivity is a big concern in India.

“It’s relatable, with fresh and relevant video recommendations tailored to your preferences; the app is designed to be offline first and improve the experience of watching videos on a slower network; it gives you more control over data usage, by providing choice and transparency into the amount of data spent on streaming or saving videos,” Jay Akkad, YouTube product manager, said in a blogpost.




A glance at the statistics show that YouTube consumption from mobile has risen from 55% to 80%, with watch time growth on mobile growing at 400% year-on-year. YouTube is experiencing a surge in its user database, and has 180 million Indians on mobile phones alone. The California headquartered video sharing website said that the last year belonged to online creators in India with 14 creators hitting 1 million subscribers every month.
“Some things we’ve learned in the run-up to this beta release include making the home screen fresher and more relevant for users, so they can find amazing videos easily. We’ve also worked hard behind the scenes to make sharing videos with nearby friends an even more seamless experience, and ensuring the app works well across a wide range of phones,” said Jay Akkad, as cited on ET.




As the user base is escalating, YouTube is rooting to expand its operations in the Indian market by promoting better digital and connectivity options to its users for a smoother video sharing.