YouTube Tests Hiding Comments by Default on Android in India

YouTube has started testing a new layout to hide comments by default. The new layout, which has rolled out to some Android users in India initially, hides the comments section unless users tap a ‘Comments’ button that sits just below the video player. This is unlike the existing interface that hosts comments just beneath the ‘Up next’ section listing all the recommended videos. YouTube has confirmed the rolling out of the new layout to Gadgets 360, though it is unclear whether it will be extended to other platforms apart from Android, including iOS and Web.

The Comments button is seen alongside the existing Like, Dislike, and Share buttons that are visible prominently just below the video player on the YouTube app. Tapping the dedicated button brings the comments section in an overflow window, reports XDA Developers alongside specifying that the change has been noticed on the YouTube for Android app in India.

The change notably disables the comments section by default that traditionally appears just below the Up next section. Moreover, it seems to be a strategic move by the YouTube team to finally…