YouTube is officially launching its Multiview feature for users. But due to various limitations, it won’t be as robust as the preview versions.
Multiview made its first appearance appearance back in March as part of an early access program that allows sports fans to watch up to four different games simultaneously on YouTube TV. Then in June, the function was expanded with informative channels like BBC News. But for the right release, the company felt it necessary to drastically reduce Multiview’s technical capabilities only available to WBNA League Pass subscribers. As before, you can watch the four streams on YouTube TV, but there is also the option to watch on YouTube via Primetime Channels.
It doesn’t appear that YouTube is withdrawing the older early access versions of Multiview, as a company representative told me Tom’s guide that NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers will still be able to use the feature to watch this season’s games or for “selected sports moments.” In addition, the company will also introduce more sports options. At this point, things are limited to NFL and WNBA games only.
They added that YouTube is “still testing Multiview for non-sports content (with plans) to expand to more users” in the coming weeks, but did not provide specific dates.
Activate multiview
Detailed instructions for activating Multiview are available at the YouTube help page.
There are some hardware requirements that you need to meet first. You must own a smart TV with the YouTube app or a streaming device such as a Chromecast or Fire TV stick. Keep in mind that the update is not present on smartphones or web browsers, which is probably for the best. We can’t imagine watching four football games on a small phone screen.
Assuming you have the right hardware, Multiview-enabled streams will appear in multiple locations: the Home tab, a Primetime Channel’s home page, and the Watch Next recommendation list. You can choose from various options. Note that the streams on the left and top left will be “marked by default”, which means that the audio from those streams will play first. The good news is that you can easily switch sources by using the directional button on a remote control.
We’ve asked YouTube for more information on when people can expect to see non-sports content supporting Multiview, and whether the company is considering expanding the technology to original content. Imagine being able to watch four of your favorite YouTube channels or live streamers at once. We think an expansion to first-party videos would be great, especially for us nerds who don’t watch sports. This story will be updated if we hear anything.
Aside from our wishlist, if you’re thinking of watching football through Multiview, you’re going to need a good TV. You want one that’s good enough to show fast-moving objects in detail while also being bright enough to look at in the afternoon.
For recommendations, check out TechRadar’s list of the best sports TVs for 2023.