YouTube TV is helping iPhone users experience as much March Madness as possible. A few days before the start of the 2024 NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, some YouTube TV subscribers noticed that the product’s multiview feature is now supported on iOS devices.
Multiview is the official name for YouTube TV’s split-screen option, which supports up to four simultaneous streams in a grid-shaped layout. The feature initially rolled out almost exactly a year ago, just in time for the beginning of the 2023 edition of March Madness. The timing of these multiview updates is no coincidence, since YouTube touts the feature as a solution for sports fans.
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In recent days, several users who have logged into YouTube TV on iOS-enabled devices have noticed that they can access a mobile version of the multiview grid. The feature, which shows up on the YouTube TV home tab, is only available for users who have upgraded to the most recent version of app. Multiview is only available on specific channels, so YouTube TV subscribers should plan accordingly.
Google confirmed to 9to5Google that it has brought multiview to iPhones and iPads, but Android users will have to wait to gain access to YouTube TV’s split screens. That rollout could occur “in the coming months.”
Multiview on mobile is one of several improvements YouTube has made to its cable TV package. As YouTube viewership on TV continues to rise, the YouTube TV app has expanded its catalog of sports programming. A multi-billion-dollar deal for the NFL Sunday Ticket package kicked off last season, and YouTube TV’s football coverage has received generally positive reviews.
YouTube’s success in the streaming television sector has led to copycat features on other subscription-based hubs. NBCUniversal’s Peacock, for example, plans to introduce its version of multiview in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
