https://www.reddit.com/r/changelog/comments/siw8ju/updated_android_video_player/
created by commandersnoo on 02/02/2022 at 18:40 UTC
0 upvotes, 140 top-level comments (showing 25)
Hi everyone!
We’re excited to announce the launch of a new video player on Android. Starting tomorrow, when Android users tap on a video in their feed, the video will open in a new full-screen player. Users will be able to read comments and watch videos simultaneously and swipe up to see more recommended videos.
You may have noticed that this is the same video player that launched on iOS a few months ago. From a UI standpoint, it is. However, the algorithm powering the video recommendations has improved and will continue to get better throughout this year. In the past, there have been many video players through the Reddit ecosystem, and this is the latest step in uniting the players[1] across the mobile apps.
1: https://www.reddit.com/r/changelog/comments/owjcoq/addressing_the_new_video_player/
We want to acknowledge that we still have UI refinements to make, new features to add, and performance issues to address. Your feedback has been greatly appreciated, and we’re taking a methodical and holistic approach to ensure we solve these pain points. As soon as the new Android video player rolls out this week, we will begin experimenting with even more improvements. We’re excited for all the new things coming to Reddit video in the next few months and can’t wait to share more details soon.
As always, please share your feedback and suggestions here. We’ll hang around for a while to read through and respond to comments.
Comment by DoctorCheese at 02/02/2022 at 19:50 UTC
146 upvotes, 13 direct replies
Only the video player itself needed an update. Not the UI/layout. This new one is a terrible, unwanted tiktok clone. I can no longer swipe up/down to go back, now having to tap twice to return to my feed. I also cannot stress enough how much I do NOT want to scroll to whatever random video is next.
I understand that this change was probably designed to facilitate more interaction and retention, but holy mother of sweet Jesus in a handbasket is this the wrong way to go about it. Not only is it a *drastic* style change, there is no option to revert it. I would rather have the old buggy player than this new one coupled with a terrible layout.
It even auto converts me to dark mode, lmao.
Changes like this are how you push people to other apps. I just reinstalled redditisfun, and I wonder how many still use old.reddit too.
Comment by airz23s_coffee at 02/02/2022 at 22:25 UTC
61 upvotes, 1 direct replies
"We'll stick around to respond"
Gives 2 non answers and dips. 10/10
Comment by pwenk at 02/02/2022 at 20:24 UTC
30 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I dislike this new player. The video quality and performance is better, but the UI is worse.
I used to be able to pause the video by tapping the center. Now to pause I have to tap the video, then move my thumb to the bottom left to pause it (large phone so it's actually a bit of stretch). Audio controls also take two taps.
This makes it rather inefficient to stop videos from playing, or pausing while I talk to my wife, or muting/un-muting.
Comment by IsZen at 02/02/2022 at 18:49 UTC
42 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Revert it please. The other one was significantly better. Or atleast make it so we can revert to the older one.
Comment by [deleted] at 02/02/2022 at 18:41 UTC
52 upvotes, 4 direct replies
what's the overlap between people who read /r/changelog and people who use the native mobile app for anything other than testing? i feel like it might be 3 people
Comment by ScottGaming007 at 02/02/2022 at 22:08 UTC
16 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Fucking revert this shit, If this shit sticks around I'm reverting to the December build and never reinstalling the official app. Every fucking update makes the app worse, whoever is making this decisions is clearly incapable of making a competent decision.
And if I wanted to use that spyware of a app >!tiktok!< I would fucking use it, but I don't cause I don't respect them and it really seems like Reddit is trying to mimic them.
Comment by Im-ACE-incarnate at 02/02/2022 at 19:07 UTC*
39 upvotes, 1 direct replies
This is terrible please change it back! It's horrible to navigate, why do I need my other hand to close it instead of swiping up? 🤷♂️ who ever thought of that is in the wrong job. Why are the upvote counts now blocking 20% of the right side of my screen? Blocking part of the video was never going to improve it. Watching the video and reading comments at the same time... We could already fit both on our screens if we wanted to.. but the problem with aiming for that to be a big feature, is people can only focus on one thing at a time, so what the point in forcing both on the screen? The whole thing now feels like a cheesy tic tok video. Please, please change it back or at least give us the option to change it ourselves.
The problem with the old version was it took forever to load or only loaded small parts at a time... that's all that needing improvement, the layout and navigation was perfect the way it was
Comment by AsterixLV at 02/02/2022 at 20:37 UTC
10 upvotes, 1 direct replies
So if the autoplay feature is enabled, u need 3 clicks to pause the video, THREE Clicks for what is an effectively an on/off switch, and it usually results in more than 3 because of how d**n hard it is to click it, thanks since 2 clicks were clearly not enough... i know the previous player had issues but this is a downgrade FROM WHAT IS(was) REDDIT. getting to comments? A pain. Pausing a video? A pain. Muting a video? A pain.
Basic interaction with the video, without having to go full screen, is that too much to ask?
what's next, removing the upvotes/downvotes from the feed part to only be able to vote after opening a post?
Swiping from a text based post to a video type post still brings up the old interface which is infinitely better, well was since u cant mute it there/nor pause.
Comment by Vengeance1020 at 02/02/2022 at 20:48 UTC
13 upvotes, 0 direct replies
It's evolving, but backwards!
Comment by MrTommyPickles at 02/02/2022 at 22:59 UTC
13 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Awful ui. We don't want tok tok!
Comment by Ebuthead at 02/02/2022 at 20:56 UTC
10 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Please add the date the video was posted. It's pretty important information, but it isn't found anywhere in the video player
Comment by tu_much_mayo at 03/02/2022 at 07:47 UTC
8 upvotes, 0 direct replies
WHY DO YOU NEED A FUCKING ALGORITEM TO RECOMMEND A RANDOM FUCKING NEXT VIDEO, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH JUST LETING ME SEE THE NEXT FUCKING POST.
​
WHAT THE FUCK WHERE YOU THINKING ARE YOU TRYING TO FUCK PICTURE POST OVER.
IF THE IS NOT REVERTED I WILL UNINSTAL THE REDDIT APP AND USE AN ALTERNATIVE
Comment by [deleted] at 03/02/2022 at 08:31 UTC
9 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by thatoneidiotwhodied at 02/02/2022 at 20:52 UTC
14 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Comment by simeoncolemiles at 02/02/2022 at 21:06 UTC
9 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Hi Android users
Welcome to our hell
Comment by [deleted] at 02/02/2022 at 21:15 UTC
9 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by [deleted] at 02/02/2022 at 19:35 UTC
15 upvotes, 1 direct replies
do you guys just have a monthly quota of making shitty UI changes nobody asked for
Comment by Bubbadevlin at 02/02/2022 at 20:59 UTC
8 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Holy crap this is garbage
Nobody likes change, sure, but this new player UI is horrible...
I personally like to just watch videos in my feed, then click into the comments. I used to be able to simply do that by clicking the comment button.. or if I missed that, scrolling down after full screening the video.
This new update seems to have removed that "direct to comments" button completely on videos. It's still there, but tapping it just brings up.. the full screen video.
BESIDES that, the comment section isn't just accessable by scrolling down.. like on every other post... instead scrolling down brings you to some random ass video
Unless I'm missing something, the only way to get to the comments of a video post is to click into the video then click the comment button all the way over on the right side...
Besides that the UI feels like a horrible amalgamation of Instagram/tiktok. LIKE WHY THE HELL IS THERE A BUTTON ON THE TOP RIGHT THAT LEADS DIRECTLY TO MY CAMERA??? WHAT IS THE USE OF THAT
Comment by _sjd_ at 02/02/2022 at 19:37 UTC
7 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Comment by Snake_king321 at 02/02/2022 at 20:07 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Could you please change it back. This is awful.
Comment by BenUFOs_Mum at 02/02/2022 at 21:15 UTC
6 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I feel this is pretty short sighted and unimaginative UI Design. I know a load of the kinks with the weird pause button placement etc... Will be worked out eventually
I can guess the reasons you've decided to go with the tik tok infinite scroll of videos that YouTube and insta have also adopted and by looking at metrics you'll probably see screen time go up. Comment engagement will go down which is probably a plus since time spent talking in the comments is time not looking at ads.
But it essentially runs counter to the whole USP of reddit which is the communities of niche and specific interests. Its just a shame that the Internet has been consolidated by like 6 websites and they are all just copying each others design in the battle to become the best skinner box.
Comment by Evan_or_somthing at 03/02/2022 at 04:14 UTC
6 upvotes, 0 direct replies
If i wanted to use tik tok, i would just go to tic tok. Fix the player already
Comment by AltOfLemmeShowMyself at 03/02/2022 at 05:24 UTC
7 upvotes, 0 direct replies
No one liked that
Comment by [deleted] at 02/02/2022 at 20:48 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Its performance is better but it's awful to use.
Comment by [deleted] at 02/02/2022 at 23:17 UTC*
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
[deleted]
