YouTube is in the process of testing an innovative feature that aims to assist users in finding songs that are stuck in their heads. We’ve all experienced that frustrating moment when a song plays in our minds, but we can’t recall its title or artist. YouTube is stepping in with a potential solution by experimenting with a new search function. This function would enable users to locate the elusive song by either recording or humming it. Currently, the feature is undergoing testing exclusively for Android devices.
The Experiment: Finding Songs Through Humming and Singing
Google, the parent company of YouTube, has detailed this new feature experiment. Participants in the test have the ability to switch from the regular voice search to the new song search function. To employ this function, users need to hum or sing the song they’re seeking for a minimum of three seconds. Once the system identifies the song, users will be directed to the relevant content.
This concept isn’t entirely novel, as there are existing apps offering similar search capabilities. Google itself integrated this feature into its search engine. Starting from 2020, Google users have been able to hum or sing tunes on an Android device in the hopes of identifying the song. A notable distinction between Google’s search engine and YouTube’s feature is that YouTube users only need to sing the song for a minimum of three seconds, while the search engine requires at least ten to 15 seconds.
Countering Ad Blockers: YouTube’s New Countdown Test
In addition to the song search feature, YouTube is concurrently testing another new feature – a countdown mechanism aimed at users who utilize ad-blocking extensions while browsing the site. YouTube has been grappling with browser extensions that suppress ads on its platform for some time. Users with ad blockers will now encounter a popup with a countdown that prevents videos from playing.
Source: AIO Information