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Defining Ambient Mode
Setting the stage to enjoy your favorite YouTube video.
the brief
In my third year at YouTube, I was asked to design a modernized YouTube watch page without changing any of the page components or structure.
My approach to modernization is closing the gap between patterns in reality and patterns in UI.
So, what would the YouTube watch page look like if it were a habitable space?
How would the video impact its surroundings?
How do we apply color in a way that is complimentary and not competing with the video watching experience?
This was a major milestone in YouTube's modernization, marking the beginning of a new viewing experience in dark mode.
Modernity in UX is when we close the gaps between the patterns in the digital world and the pattern in our natural waking world.
Through collaboration, partnership and teamwork that mock up has evolved to ambient mode.
To introduce the feature I designed a custom fullscreen interstitial that gave viewers the opportunity to choose their theme and see how the theme impacted ambient mode. This resulted in 20% conversions to dark mode. Once in dark mode, viewers can toggle ambient on/off through the video settings.
Approach
User select dark or light YouTube theme
If dark mode is selected, Ambient Mode is activated
User can toggle Ambient Mode on/off in settings
User select dark or light YouTube theme
If dark mode is selected, Ambient Mode is activated
User can toggle Ambient Mode on/off in settings
Ambient mode impact
Ambient mode was part of a cross vertical modernization bundle launch across 40+ teams on YouTube.
Check it out in dark mode on iOS, Android, mobile tablet or desktop.
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