YouTube Music, the popular music streaming service, is currently experimenting with a redesigned Cast user interface (UI) for Android devices. This redesign, which complements the recently revamped overflow menu, introduces a bottom sheet format for casting functionalities.
Unlike the conventional “Cast to a device” box, users are presented with a sleek bottom sheet featuring rounded corners. This sheet categorizes available casting options into “Suggested” targets and “Other devices,” enhancing compactness and resembling the video player settings found in the main YouTube app. Notably, YouTube Music for iOS has already adopted a similar design approach.
During casting sessions, users are greeted with a minimalist “Playing on” sheet, which notably features only a volume slider. The redesign opts to exclude replicated artwork, considering that most of the player is already visible. Additionally, the play/pause functionality has been removed from this sheet.
This modernization aligns with YouTube Music’s previous move to integrate the Cast button into the permanent mini-player, a change implemented last year. It reflects Google’s broader initiative towards a “Persistent Cast icon,” ensuring users have easy access to casting capabilities and receive enhanced assistance in troubleshooting specific device connections. This initiative, announced in January, coincides with the upcoming Tap to Cast feature, catering to users with docked Pixel Tablets and Google phones equipped with Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology.
It’s important to note that the redesigned Cast UI in YouTube Music for Android is currently undergoing testing and has not been widely rolled out. Similarly, the overflow menu revamp remains in the testing phase, with no full-scale deployment as of yet.
