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YouTube Music continues to evolve, positioning itself as a strong competitor to Spotify with interface tweaks and quality-of-life additions. The latest enhancement on YouTube Music, which looks somewhat similar to the latest directions search UI redesign in Google Maps, focuses on refining the casting interface across Android and iOS platforms. This redesigned interface, however, is currently under development and not widely rolled out yet, notes 9to5Google.
The casting options in most Android apps typically appear as a floating window in the middle of the screen upon tapping the cast button. However, YouTube Music is experimenting with a new bottom-based sheet for cast targets, as revealed by screenshots shared by Redditor u/notjhoan. This redesigned interface in YouTube Music is denser and potentially displays more casting targets at a time.
Instead of overlaying the volume slider, it now appears in a bottom-based card, contributing to a more cohesive user experience. However, there seems to be an oversight regarding the option to stop casting via this interface as of now.
Tweaks to the casting interface include an absence of the ‘stop casting’ button as of now
“I don’t like it because it does not have a ‘stop casting’ button. You have to basically redirect the cast to the device you’re holding in your hand,” a Reddit user commented. However, the redesign is still in its development stage. So it might get fixed in the future before a wider rollout.
This redesign brings YouTube Music’s interface on Android closer to its iOS counterpart, which has long featured a similar design. Although iOS users have had a comparable layout, not all have experienced the inclusion of suggested targets as seen in the Android app.
In addition to the casting interface improvements, Google has recently simplified the process of switching between voice control and touchscreen control when using Nest audio devices or displays. This seamless transition allows users to start a session via voice and continue controlling playback, queue, and more through the YouTube Music app on their phones, enhancing the overall user experience.
While YouTube Music’s controls may not yet match the sophistication of Spotify Connect, these recent updates demonstrate Google’s commitment to bridging the gap and providing users with a more intuitive and integrated music streaming experience.