Creators will be able to go live on YouTube in both vertical and horizontal format simultaneously. They’ll also be able to live react to other creator’s live content, all from their mobile devices.
YouTube is changing the way content creators go live. These new features are said to be introduced with the aim to boost audience numbers and interactions with live content. One of the main ones being simultaneous horizontal and vertical streams.
Simply put, creators will be able to be live vertically as well as horizontally at the same time. Think, portrait and landscape mode, all in one. This could benefit the viewer experience because they’ll be able to view in their preferred mode depending on their device type.
YouTube announced 30% of daily logged-in views come from live content. This number could increase by adapting the live focus and ensuring the quality of live content improves. Optimising viewer experience is something that should be a priority in 2025.
There will also be a chat room added for live video, which allows viewers to interact with each other, no matter the format they’re watching in. Meaning, again, it’s optimised for everyone involved.
YouTube is set on maximizing the views creators get on their lives, and making the overall experience better for everyone involved. The platform has suggested there’s more in the works, however, at this stage it isn’t clear what is meant by that.
Perhaps heading into 2026 we will start to see more expansion of current features, and a push on new features being developed. After all, they have quite the competition with platforms like TikTok, who already offer live experiences.
