Google has launched the new Youtube Go app that makes video streaming easy for people who are stuck with slow internet connections.
The new app made for Android phones is specifically launched for the Indian market, where millions of users have no internet access or restricted to slow connections. Facebook already has a lite version that is designed to use least possible data and works seamlessly with decreased graphical fidelity.
Introducing Youtube Go app is a much more complicated affair as the developers have to make videos run on flaky internet connections. The data consumed by videos are usually the largest when compared to web browsing, pictures or social media sites. Google launched the beta version of the app in India about a year ago and after fixing any bugs as well as improving performance in multiple areas, the app has now gone live on the app store.
Also Read : Google Allo now Lets You Make Polls from Within the App
The company has confirmed that they will eventually be rolling out the app in other developing countries where internet speeds are very low and yet to support the full Youtube app. According to the statement by Google, users will have better control over the video content. While the feature to save videos offline is already available for the app, the Go version allows users to choose a specific resolution and yet deliver good quality videos without boosting file size.
Also Read : Google unveils a new Website for showcasing how it does its Open Source Projects and Internal Processes
The Youtube Go has also been optimized in such a way that it will automatically find the best resolution based on your internet bandwidth speed so as to enjoy a seamless video experience. A lot of educational content and videos are available on the website besides entertainment and other how to clips. By introducing it to people in rural areas and other parts of the country, Google aims to explore the untapped markets rather than catering to the highly saturated Western audience.
Besides, a successful implementation of this will allow them to add more countries to their service horizon and introduce the Go app. A unique feature found only in the app is the Wifi Direct capability using which users can share videos among themselves which is not found in the full Youtube app. Nearby friends can instantly download videos from one phone to another using this setup. It is also optimized to run seamlessly on a range of phone models and configurations as well as varying internet speeds. Google promised to introduce it in other countries where internet speeds are as low as 4 MBPS on an average.