It's easy to forget that the Wii U has a decent range of entertainment apps to enjoy, and one of the most prominent has now had a facelift in an update. The change is to YouTube, with a slightly new look and - it seems to us - quicker performance.
In terms of aesthetic changes, you're initially presented with recommendations based on your viewing habits and subscriptions, while hitting left on the D-Pad opens up the same menus and content that you see on the browser version. All control is still restricted to the GamePad - with the TV remaining blank until you start a video - so those of you that want to use a Pro Controller to navigate around will be disappointed. That aside it's generally a little cleaner and, in our experience, quite a bit smoother and faster than the previous iteration.
It's good to see YouTube updated for the Wii U, and perhaps reflects the solid commitment and relationship between Nintendo and Google.
Be sure to check it out and let us know what you think.
Thanks to Jody Ingram for the heads up.
Comments 38
Don't use it on the U, I still think they should fix the normal one, lately I can't skip or go back in a video once it has started and then the autoplay brings me to a new video which gets annoying.
So this is another update besides last week's update?
yeah more apps like this please
So is this a new update? I only updated it the other day?
I couldn't skip adverts or use the touch screen to fast forward or rewind videos!
Got last week an update to Wii U Youtube app that did not change really anything, except I could turn off the annoying UI sounds of the app that came with the previous update.
Did again a new update come?
I always use the browser for youtube videos, since I can browse other tabs via the Gamepad while the video buffers and plays on the TV.
I got an update last week too but never noticed any difference.I have just had a look now though and it must have updated again.It looks great now,much better!
Why would anyone want to use the pro controller for this? Web browsing is by far the best gamepad use in my opinion.
I will continue to use the Wii U Internet Browser for at least four hours a day. Whenever I go to the Internet Browser, I find out that I have between 150 to 250 hours in the Internet Browser every month! In fact, I remember having 300 hours in August when I played 325 episodes of One Piece plus catching up with a million other Youtube videos.
I feel the internet browser is easiest for Youtube on the system because of the multiple tabs and multiple video players to choose from. I can actually read NL news while a Smash livestream goes on in the background.
Also, protip: For Twitch on Wii U, type " /popout " after the stream url, you'll lose the chat but can watch the stream with ease.
I updated Hulu recently too maybe this is a good sign of momentum for the system that other companies are starting to notice?!
New update? Good. Does it fixes most of it's other problems? Not really. I still enjoy using the internet browser instead of the app.
@Obito_Sigma Only it sucks that you can't comment or interact in any way due to it signing you out as soon as you try to do anything...
Youtube from the browser is so much better.
Wwe network on wii u would be handy
Wake me up when the Netflix app is updated with profiles support.
@FritzFrapp Thank god they have not given up on that. Here's hoping it runs well in HD....
Netflix is in much more dire need of an upd...complete overhaul, than Youtube app(which is better via browser anyway.).
I never use the YouTube app because I watch YouTube on my computer. My computer is hooked up to my TV.
I prefer to use Youtube app of my Sony Bravia TV. The performance and video render are better.
Wake me when Europe finally gets TVii
I use YouTube via XBMC on an amazon fire tv and it's a much better experience than the official apps.
Sadly for andyg1971
Still stutters
Cool but still doesn't beat watching YouTube on the actual browser. Still wish we could comment on videos like we use to when the Wii U first launch, not sure who's idea was it to block us from doing that (on the browser) as it was a great way to create a community around the network to stuff we like.
Did they make it more like the Android version? Or is it still hideous and hard to use?
is it possible to display videos on the gamepad? If not, then what's the point compared to just going to youtube with the Wii U browser?
I use YouTube on the browser anyways
WHY CAN'T I WATCH HD VIDEO'S ON THE WII U YOUTUBE APP?? I CAN IN THE BROWSER THOUGH (720P)
@AVahne it's like the android one
How about instead of working on the garbage Youtube app you actually fix Youtube in the Wii U Browser so it doesn't max out at 720p and can reach 1080p again. It's been broken for over a year now.
@DarkKirby
It never reached 1080p in the browser. I've had a Wii U since launch, and I always waych YouTube videos. I never have any problems with the YouTube app. I get 1080p in the app, but not the browser, and neither of them has surround sound, but the browser is more convenient.
The only benefit I've ever had, watching videos online, is 60FPS at 720p, but that's not even YouTube anymore.
@SCAR392
I've had a Wii U since release day and I could watch 1080p videos on the Youtube in the Browser up until 1 or 2 years ago where suddenly the 1080p option stopped appearing.
@DarkKirby - Hmm. You might be right. It's possible I never noticed, but I do/did use the site pretty often. I for sure get 1080p in the app, though. It's been that way.
If it shows youtube ad's in this app there is no way I would use it when the one on my Smart TV doesn't for whatever reason.
@PALgamer The problem is, you can't comment on videos, the login ''crashes'' somehow.
@unrandomsam
That probably means that, whichever company makes your HDTV paid off Google to get rid of ads. That's usually how it works.
Sony paid Netflix and Google for better versions of their apps, but it's just poor support on Netflix and Googles' end, in the first place. YouTube on PS4 has 5.1 surround sound, but Wii U and Xbox One don't. Sony paid for that.
Good news but it doesn't sound like it brings it up to the same functionality as watching Youtube through the browser so I'll stick with that
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