YouTube Leanback

[LaszloEr]

What's the Product's Name?
Youtube TV (web version)
Describe the product in a single sentence.
YouTube TV was a version of YouTube optimized for smart TV web browsers.
When was the product launched? Provide a specific date, if possible.
I can't find an exact date, I believe around 2014.
When was the product discontinued? Provide a specific date, if possible.
There's no specific date, it only states "soon".

What type of product was it? App, Service, or Hardware?
Service

[codyogden]

Ahh...this is interesting. So, this is not and not related to YouTube TV. Just a specific version for TV web browsers. So, older televisions that may have used this version of YouTube that don't support a native app option are probably being nuked.

Nice find! Thanks!! 🙌

[LaszloEr]

There was also another unrelated but similar version called "YouTube XL". It was shut down years ago, but I don't know much about that one.

[mpentler]

Edit: I'm an idiot, thought this was the apps for smart TVs, not the browser version. Sorry.

[glaucocustodio]

I couldn't be more disappointed with this warning.. This version of YouTube has the best watching experience ever.. I will miss it so much :/

[codyogden]

We need a couple things to finish this up. It may require a bit of research. I've been waiting for 9to5Google or other Google-focused tech hub to get a confirmed date from Google.

We need:

• An accurate name.
• A dateClose
• An authoritative source link.

Regarding the name: I've seen "leanback" from 9to5Google and Android Police, and "YouTube XL" from Techcrunch (#593). "Leanback" seems like the internal name since it's used in the source code. It's YouTube Leanback.

[codyogden]

Looks like 9to5Google updated their article on 9/16.

dateClose is 2019-10-02

https://9to5google.com/2019/09/16/youtube-leanback-tv-interface-disabled-soon/

[glaucocustodio]

I've created a Chrome extension to allow keyboard navigation on youtube.com: https://github.com/glaucocustodio/youcaptain

[Sunshine-the-eevee]

there is a extension called YouTube™ for TV and YouTube™ for TV 4K (for 4k support) and ive got them both and im able to use youtube leanback