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The YouTube app on Android TV is getting some new Google Assistant voice commands to make using the app and interacting with videos a little more hands-free.
It was already possible to use some Google Assistant voice commands in the YouTube app on Android TV and Google TV devices. But today users are getting just a few more to enhance the experience further. The new commands being added will allow users to like and dislike videos. You can say “Hey Google, like this video.” And Google will take care of hitting that thumbs up button for you.
You can also have it subscribe to channels for you. Say you liked someone’s content so much, you want more of it. Ask Google to subscribe to that creator’s channel. Alternatively, you have also have Google unsubscribe for you. This is in addition to the already existing voice commands for pause/play, rewind and more.
YouTube on Android TV also now has a podcast category
If you just love podcasts and want to access more of them in more places, well now you can. You can launch the YouTube app on Android TV and Google TV and pop open your favorite podcast to listen while you do basically anything else.
Say your TV is within earshot and within view of your kitchen. You can launch the app and pull up a podcast and listen/watch while you prepare food. YouTube for TV users will find the podcast category near the bottom of the explore section of the side bar. But as 9To5Google points out, it moves up the menu if you consume podcast content more often. So if you want it higher up, starting watching or listening to more podcasts.
These new additions to the app on TV should be live and accessible as of today.