YouTube recently celebrated its 20th anniversary since the first video upload, unveiling new features and revealing impressive stats. Over 20 million videos are uploaded daily, and users post over 100 million comments each day. New features for 2024 include multiview layouts for YouTube TV members, a voice-reply option for creators launching in 2025, and personalized radio stations for Premium and Music subscribers. Additional enhancements include improved playback speeds for mobile users, along with new tools like a sleep timer and song identification via humming. Notably, a cake icon now appears on the progression bar for this special occasion.
YouTube has celebrated 20 years since the inaugural video was uploaded to its platform. In honor of this milestone, the company introduced new features, shared intriguing statistics, and highlighted a range of hidden or lesser-known tools.
Viraj Manesh, Senior Product Manager, disclosed that over 20 million videos are uploaded daily. In 2024, users left more than 100 million comments each day, with creators engaging with an average of 10 million viewers through hearting comments.
This year, YouTube is rolling out new features primarily for TV and Premium subscribers. YouTube TV members can enjoy multiview layouts for non-sports content, featuring well-known channels like ESPN and Food Network.
Creators will soon have the ability to respond to comments with voice replies, although this feature is set to launch later in 2025.
Premium and Music subscribers will be able to craft a personalized radio station on iOS and Android by expressing their mood, though this feature is currently limited to the English language. Additionally, YouTube Premium users on mobile can take advantage of extended playback speeds of up to 4x.
This is the first time we can see “20 years ago” under a YouTube video
YouTube now includes features such as a long-press option on the video player for 2x speed, a sleep timer for nighttime viewing, and a screen lock to prevent interruptions from calls or notifications. Android users can hum or sing to identify songs using Song Search, and today marks the addition of a cake icon on the progression bar.
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