YouTube’s picture-in-picture feature is no more available to its Premium subscribers. The subscribers will no longer be able to sign up to test the PiP feature. Presently, the picture-in-picture feature that was available in YouTube’s experimental features with an April 8th expiry date no more exists among them. Some users have reported that on trying to access the feature, they came across a “The feature you’re trying has been turned off” banner, signaling the end of the test. Meanwhile, some media reports say that the feature is still working with some of the accounts that were previously used to sign up for the test of the PiP feature.
YouTube’s picture-in-picture feature support has been available for system-level video services for iPhones and iPads. Meanwhile, the support for this feature was flawed as if one needed to watch it; they were required to watch via YouTube’s website instead of the YouTube app. However, the Premium test in YouTube made the PiP feature perfect, which let the Premium users continue watching the stuff even on navigating the content in the browser or any other medium other than the app.
The PiP feature support beta test of YouTube had a limited period of time for its Premium subscribers. Initially, the beta test for the PiP feature was announced in June 2021 and was supposed to end on October 31st, which later got extended. The beta test was first only intended for the Premium subscribers. However, YouTube confirmed that it may hopingly launch the feature for all the iOS Premium or non-Premium users in the US, in the next couple of months.
Presently, the end of YouTube Premium’s picture-in-picture test may be seen as a sign that YouTube is all set to launch the PiP feature for more of its users. It was in March 2022 that Google introduced the PiP service to its YouTube TV service for iOS users. You may further see the feature available in the app for both iOS and Android users, whether Premium or non-Premium.