YouTube is currently testing a new design feature for its Android app, incorporating a blurred bottom bar similar to a feature already present on iOS. The blurred bottom bar aims to create a more integrated and seamless experience by blending the bar with the app's background colours as users scroll through their feed. This design tweak marks a departure from the existing translucent bar, which appears white in Light mode and black in Dark mode.

Redesigned Buttons and Navigation

In addition to the blurred effect, YouTube is also redesigning some of the buttons on the bottom bar. The Home and Subscriptions buttons, for example, have been updated with a more minimalistic design. Meanwhile, the ?+? button has undergone a transformation, now featuring a "blurred filled circle" instead of its previous circular white outline, making it more noticeable, according to a report by 9to5Google. 

The new design also introduces a dynamic element to the blurred bottom bar. The colours of the bar will change based on the video thumbnails displayed in the feed. Since YouTube's app feed features dynamic video thumbnails that start playing automatically, the bar's colours will adapt accordingly, creating a more cohesive visual experience.

Size Increase for Traditional Navigation Users

For users who still rely on Android's traditional three-button navigation, the bottom bar will increase in size. This change occurs because the navigation bar will adopt the same blurred effect, resulting in a more consistent look across the app.

While these features are currently in testing, there is no official word on when or if they will be rolled out to all users. YouTube has a history of testing design changes that do not always make it to the final version of the app. However, the ongoing experiments suggest that YouTube is planning significant updates, including a new Picture-in-Picture (PiP) miniplayer and the potential introduction of mid-roll ads in the PiP format.

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