YouTube’s largest audience is now on the television

The television has officially become the dominant platform for YouTube consumption in the US. Youtube CEO Neal Mohan wrote in his recent annual letter that viewers are collectively watching over a billion hours of YouTube content on their TVs every single day! This milestone underscores YouTube’s evolution from a simple video-sharing platform to a full-fledged streaming service.

YouTube’s success on TV isn’t exactly accidental though. The company has strategically refined its TV app over the last few years, transforming it into a more seamless and engaging experience. Recent updates include a redesigned interface that allows viewers to access comments and descriptions while continuing to watch videos, along with the introduction of “seasons” to streamline navigation through video series. The “Watch With” feature further enhances engagement by enabling creators to provide real-time commentary on live events and gaming content.

Mohan emphasized the changing nature of television, noting that the ‘new’ television doesn’t look like the ‘old’ television.

It’s interactive and includes things like Shorts (yes, people watch them on TVs), podcasts, and live streams, right alongside the sports, sitcoms and talk shows people already love. – Neal Mohan, CEO YouTube

The platform’s subscription services are also experiencing significant growth. YouTube TV, despite a recent price increase, boasts over 8 million subscribers, while YouTube Premium and Music have surpassed 100 million subscribers, including trial memberships. Mohan says YouTube plans to continue refining these services, promising enhancements to YouTube TV features like Key Plays and multiview, and delivering new benefits to YouTube Premium subscribers.

Chrome Unboxed’s Take

Over the two decades that YouTube has been around, the platform has not only reshaped culture through video and created the “new TV” but it has also fostered a thriving creator economy. Today’s creators have evolved from producing simple videos to establishing studios and creating popular talk shows and even feature-length films like the Still Moving documentary from creator Eric Floberg that just blew my mind! (Thanks for the recommendation, Andrew.)

Some of you reading this may not know this, but Chrome Unboxed was started as a YouTube channel 11 years ago when Robby started unboxing devices on his kitchen floor and it’s still core to what we do.

And what better way to enjoy a Chrome Unboxed video than on your big-screen TV? It’s not quite like the movie theater, but it’s the next best thing. When watching videos on your TV, you can sit back and immerse yourself in the content. The way we make videos has evolved over time, but we’ve always strived to create content that is not only helpful but is also visually appealing and sounds great, too. And while our laptops and phones are fine for watching YouTube, I think a Chrome Unboxed video is best viewed on a TV.

Overall, I think you’ll continue to see creators cater their videos to fit this “new TV” model with things like longer content, series, QR codes on the screen, and content that is more focused on entertainment. But, what are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below. And make sure to go subscribe to the channel if you haven’t already, so you can watch our next video on your big-screen TV.