Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Google is now working on addressing YouTube Music's shortcomings by listening to feedback, with a new feature rolling out to users as we speak.
The integration of a sleep timer has been spotted in the Android version of the app. Google is yet to release any announcement on this front, but the availability of the sleep timer is still very limited.
The sleep timer has long been a top requested feature on YouTube Music. With such an option, users can continue listening to their music and configure the app to automatically stop the playback after a certain time. This way, if they fall asleep, YouTube Music wouldn’t continue playing the audio in their speakers or earbuds.
The sleep timer has been in the works since 2022, but Google never promised it would ship it to users. Given the feedback, however, the company didn’t have much choice, as the sleep timer was a top request on Android and iPhone.
The sleep timer appears to be exclusive to Android devices, but it should go live on iPhones soon as well. The feature is part of Google's strategy of turning YouTube Music into a more advanced streaming platform. The race against Spotify and Apple Music is getting fiercer, so Google must align YouTube Music with users' expectations.
The option is integrated into the Now Play menu at the bottom of the screen.
I feel like this menu is getting a little cluttered, especially because it includes so many options. In the long term, I believe Google will start moving options around, especially as it’s adding new functionality to YouTube Music. The sleep timer should be placed in the main UI, with a dedicated toggle in settings to enable it.
YouTube Music was the recommended destination for everybody running Google Play Music on Android Auto. At first, the app was severely lacking in terms of features versus its predecessor, forcing some users to jump ship completely. Many people who purchased and downloaded music on GPM ended up unable to listen to their tunes on YouTube Music without paying for a subscription.
The service didn’t come with a free tier at the beginning, so even listening to purchased music was blocked. Google eventually listened to feedback and updated the service with support for a free version. This way, former Google Play Music could continue listening to their music without the need for getting a subscription.
In the meantime, YouTube Music has evolved to become a more advanced alternative to the likes of Spotify. Google is working non-stop on adding modern capabilities. Live lyrics, a feature that has long been available in Spotify, is now rolling out to users on YouTube Music as well. The feature seems to launch in waves.
The sleep timer has long been a top requested feature on YouTube Music. With such an option, users can continue listening to their music and configure the app to automatically stop the playback after a certain time. This way, if they fall asleep, YouTube Music wouldn’t continue playing the audio in their speakers or earbuds.
The sleep timer has been in the works since 2022, but Google never promised it would ship it to users. Given the feedback, however, the company didn’t have much choice, as the sleep timer was a top request on Android and iPhone.
The sleep timer appears to be exclusive to Android devices, but it should go live on iPhones soon as well. The feature is part of Google's strategy of turning YouTube Music into a more advanced streaming platform. The race against Spotify and Apple Music is getting fiercer, so Google must align YouTube Music with users' expectations.
The option is integrated into the Now Play menu at the bottom of the screen.
I feel like this menu is getting a little cluttered, especially because it includes so many options. In the long term, I believe Google will start moving options around, especially as it’s adding new functionality to YouTube Music. The sleep timer should be placed in the main UI, with a dedicated toggle in settings to enable it.
YouTube Music was the recommended destination for everybody running Google Play Music on Android Auto. At first, the app was severely lacking in terms of features versus its predecessor, forcing some users to jump ship completely. Many people who purchased and downloaded music on GPM ended up unable to listen to their tunes on YouTube Music without paying for a subscription.
The service didn’t come with a free tier at the beginning, so even listening to purchased music was blocked. Google eventually listened to feedback and updated the service with support for a free version. This way, former Google Play Music could continue listening to their music without the need for getting a subscription.
In the meantime, YouTube Music has evolved to become a more advanced alternative to the likes of Spotify. Google is working non-stop on adding modern capabilities. Live lyrics, a feature that has long been available in Spotify, is now rolling out to users on YouTube Music as well. The feature seems to launch in waves.
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