READ THIS NEXT: Google Just Issued Another Urgent Warning to All Android Users. In yet another change, it was just confirmed that Google will be killing off one of its Android apps in 2022. The tech giant is getting rid of its YouTube Go app, according to a May 2 announcement from YouTube on Google Help. The app will begin shutting down in August, although an exact date for when access will be completely retired has not yet been given. But as the technology news blog Ghacks also reports, for Android users that have not previously downloaded the YouTube Go app, it is already no longer available on the Google Play store.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb For more technology news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. YouTube Go first launched in the Google Play store in 2016, designed as a means for Android users to access the video platform even when “in locations where connectivity, data prices, and low-end devices prevented us from delivering the best experience in the main YouTube app.” But as a lightweight version of the main YouTube app, it has been limited in its features, notably not allowing Android users the “ability to comment, post, create content, and use dark theme.” It has also not been updated since Oct. 2021, according to 9to5Google. Despite this, YouTube Go still currently has more than 500 million installs—so these users might be dismayed by the recent announcement. Android users won’t have to go without YouTube altogether when YouTube Go is officially phased out. Instead, Google is advising you to transition to another source. “To access YouTube, we recommend that YouTube Go users install the main YouTube app or visit youtube.com in their browsers,” the company said. According to the announcement, YouTube has been working to improve its main Android app to help address some of the problems that the YouTube Go app was initially created for, like a better performance in certain environments and a better user experience overall. “Specifically, we have improved performance for entry-level devices or those that watch YouTube on slower networks,” YouTube said in the announcement. “We’re also building out additional user controls that help to decrease mobile data usage for viewers with limited data—so stay tuned for more updates.” READ THIS NEXT: If You Have an Android, You’ll Be Barred From Doing This Starting Today.
