YouTube has announced Wednesday that it will be adding an offline viewing mode option to its mobile application sometime in November.
"We're always exploring ways to bring more viewers to your content. As part of this effort, later this year we'll launch a new feature on YouTube's mobile apps that will help you reach fans - even when they're not connected to the Internet," Google wrote on its YouTube Creators Blog. "This upcoming feature will allow people to add videos to their device to watch for a short period when an Internet connection is unavailable. So your fans' ability to enjoy your videos no longer has to be interrupted by something as commonplace as a morning commute."
The feature is expected to roll out sometime in November. Currently to view videos on a mobile device, the user needs to have access to some kind of Internet connection. With the offline mode, users will be able to download content directly to their smartphone or tablet device.
Currently, only Android and iOS devices have an official YouTube app. Unless this changes by November, it seems that the only customers who will benefit from the new offline mode will be iOS and Android users.
With many videos on YouTube being subscription based, informative or even Podcast recordings, an offline mode could be a good way for people with a long commute to catch up on their favorite YouTube content while in their car or out for a morning run.
The announcement only says that videos will be saved for a "short time." No one is yet sure just how long that short time will be. The current buzz throughout the rumor mill, according to The Inquirer, is that users can expect a 48 hour save limit on videos. This means users can be without an Internet connection for up to two days without losing access to their favorite YouTube content.
