YouTube TV is set to enhance its multiview feature, which has been gradually evolving for years. Initially designed for sports enthusiasts, allowing them to watch up to four channels simultaneously, the platform will soon introduce a fully customizable multiview option, providing users with the freedom to personalize their viewing experiences.
In a recent annual letter, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced this exciting upgrade, aimed at giving viewers the ability to create their own multiview layouts. This new feature will enable users to tailor their screens according to their interests, spanning sports, news, entertainment, and more.
The multiview functionality was first introduced in 2023 specifically for sports broadcasts, allowing fans to enjoy multiple games at once. It later expanded to encompass other categories like news and weather, but for a time, it was limited to a select group of pre-chosen channels, including CNN, MSNBC, HGTV, and Food Network. Recently, YouTube TV began testing options for a limited number of users to customize their channel selections without restrictions.
This new addition is anticipated to resonate with families and larger households that have varying viewing preferences, as it allows different types of content to be displayed simultaneously on the same screen.
To experiment with the multiview setting, users can press the down button on their remote, locate the Multiview icon or the “Watch Multiview” option, and select it to add up to three more live channels to their screen.
Furthermore, Mohan emphasized that YouTube TV is also preparing to launch genre-specific channel packages, aimed at providing subscribers with more flexibility in their subscription choices. These packages will let viewers focus on specific areas of interest, like sports, news, family shows, or entertainment, ultimately helping them to customize their subscriptions while possibly reducing costs.
While details regarding the pricing and launch dates of these genre-specific packages remain sparse, it is expected that more information will be shared in the upcoming months as YouTube TV gears up for this rollout.