YouTube TV's Rumored Mosaic Mode May Put You Into Sensory Overload

A few tantalizing YouTube rumors just emerged, revealing Google's alleged plans for the platform — and those plans are huge. It should come as no surprise that Google continues to have big plans for the platform, and now, it seems that it has set its sights on expanding YouTube's presence on smart TVs. The app itself already fares fairly well, seeing as it comes pre-installed on pretty much all smart televisions. However, YouTube's TV dominance could expand in a big way if all of Google's strategies pan out.

Before we get too excited, it's important to reiterate that all of this is based on rumors provided to Protocol by an anonymous source. The news could turn out to be entirely true, partially true, or even completely untrue. We won't know until YouTube itself chooses to comment, and so far, the company's spokesperson declined to do so. Protocol allegedly learned this from YouTube employees, and the information was initially shared during an internal partner event where Google met with hardware manufacturers. While the event itself focused on Android TV and Google TV, YouTube also wants to expand its presence across smart TVs made by other brands, such as LG and Samsung.

According to the leak, several new changes are coming to YouTube on smart TVs, and these updates could potentially give it an edge over competing platforms, including TikTok. YouTube Shorts, which are often just reposted TikTok videos, are trying to compete with the viral app in any way possible, and Google has invested heavily in the form factor. Now, YouTube Shorts have a new platform to conquer: our television screens.

YouTube Shorts has been a wildly successful feature on mobile devices, with Business Insider recently reporting that Shorts reached 30 billion daily views. On the other hand, the feature has a pretty non-existent presence on smart TVs, and that's allegedly about to change in the next few months. During the meeting, a small teaser of the feature was reportedly shared in the form of a PowerPoint slide that showcased a vertical video positioned at the very center of the screen.

Shorts aren't the only thing that Google wants to start casting onto our television screens. The company is also adding several other features to its TV app, at least according to the leak, and it seems that this chiefly applies to the company's own Android TV and Google TV devices. YouTube Music is said to get some new functionalities in its TV form, including the ability to browse through your playlists and albums as well as add them to your library without needing to switch to a mobile device.

Perhaps the most mind-boggling addition of all comes in the form of Mosaic Mode, a new feature that allegedly lets you play up to four different live feeds or videos at the same time on the same TV by dividing the screen into four sections. If you ask us, that sounds like a sure-fire way to achieve some serious sensory overload, but undoubtedly extreme multi-taskers will enjoy the feature if and when it makes it to our TV screens.