Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- YouTube is trying out a new look for the icon you use to submit comments in the mobile app.
- Instead of a black-and-white line drawing of an arrow, YouTube is replacing it with a white arrow in a red circle.
What’s the easiest way to upset YouTube users? That’s simple: change anything at all in the app. OK, maybe we kid a little bit, but if it’s not YouTube users getting upset at age checks, or getting upset at unskippable ads, they’re getting upset about any change to the YouTube interface. It’s enough such that whenever we spot something new in the app, we almost instinctually brace ourselves for the coming pushback. And right now, there’s something new.
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Earlier this week, users like Cleaner900playz on Reddit’s YouTube sub started sharing their latest find: a new design for the arrow icon you tap to post comments on videos.
Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority
Today, we’re starting to see the same new very, very red arrow in the YouTube Android app on many of our own devices — it doesn’t seem to have hit everyone just yet, but appears to be currently rolling out to more and more of us.
As changes go, this one feels pretty darn innocuous. Really, the biggest thing we expect users to notice is that the old black-and-white submission arrow now lives in a red circle. Compared to the previous look (below), we spot a few other design tweaks, but let’s not kid ourselves here: It’s all about the red.
Stephen Schenck / Android Authority
While we can’t help but take a slightly jocular approach to this update, it’s important to remember that for Google and YouTube, red is serious business. You’ll probably recall that YouTube Premium initially debuted as YouTube Red, and just about a year ago we saw YouTube embrace a new look for its special shade of red, trying out some cooler gradients.
Compared to the old look, we have to concede that this feels like an improvement. The button just stands out a whole lot better with this bright red accent, inviting you to wrap up your comment and share it with other viewers.
But like we said: This is a change to YouTube’s UI, and we know what that means. Before you go voicing your frustrations over this intolerable affront to good taste, maybe give it a minute — heck, give it a week. If you still can’t stand this shiny new red comment button, then come back here and let us know just how wrong we were down in the comments.
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