Video-streaming giant Youtube unveiled a nifty bit of tech today that allows you to seamlessly switch from one device to another without losing track of the content you are watching. If you’re watching something via the YouTube app on your phone or tablet and you switch to a web browser, a mini-player with the same video will launch in the bottom corner of your screen. All you have to do is steer your browser to YouTube.com, and the player will open automatically. Clicking the play button will start playback in the mini-player at the exact moment you shut down the app. This can come in handy if you check out a video on the train and your stop arrives before you get to the good part, for example. You can boot up a desktop or laptop at home and finish that video as it was meant to be seen in your pajamas. Before this feature was implemented, users would have to review their history to access previously viewed content. Of course, you have to be logged in to your Google account for it to sync. Unfortunately, the continue watching functionality does not work in the other direction—from a web browser to the app. This tool is currently rolling out to YouTube users on an unannounced timetable. Some users already have received the update, but it’s unknown how long it will take for everyone to have it or if it will be available in all geographic regions. YouTube is no stranger to innovation. For example, just last month, the company rolled out a picture-in-picture tool for iOS users.
