With podcasts on the rise on YouTube, this could be a welcome addition for the app.
As reported by Android Police, YouTube has added a new “Trim Silence” option for podcasts, which will give users the option to remove gaps within the playback of a podcast recording.
As you can see in these screenshot examples, some YouTube users are now seeing a new “Trim Silences” toggle in its podcast playback options, which, when enabled, will “skip stretches of silence during episodes.”
Android Police reports that the functionality doesn’t make the audio sound choppy or unnatural, and can add a more streamlined feel to podcast playback.
The feature replicates a similar option that was added to Google podcasts years back, providing another option for podcast engagement, based on your personal preferences. And with many people listening to podcasts in faster speeds in order to consume more information, it could be another handy consideration for YouTube’s podcast platform.
Which, as noted, is becoming increasingly popular.
Back in February, YouTube reported that podcasts now see over a billion monthly active viewers in the app every month, making it the most frequently used service for listening to podcasts in the U.S.
YouTube’s audio-only listening experience (for Premium subscribers), combined with the rising number of celebrity–led podcasts (including many YouTube stars), along with supplemental video elements, have seen more and more people turning to the platform for the latest pod content, and have helped drive a whole new engagement segment in the app.
As such, adding more customization options for podcast playback makes sense, providing more ways for YouTube users to engage with podcast material as they choose.
YouTube hasn’t confirmed plans for a broader rollout for its silence trimming element as yet, but it looks to be available to a selection of users right now.
We’ve asked YouTube for more information on the option, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.
