Google has launched its data-friendly YouTube Go app in some Southeast Asian countries and new markets in Africa.
Now available in beta for Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, the app is a way for users to access videos in countries where data availability may not be as comprehensive as in others.
One of the app's key features to address the data issue is an offline viewing mode, which allows users to download videos over Wi-Fi first.
Users can also choose to stream video in lower resolutions or high quality, controlling the data they use .
The ability to download in high quality is an update from the previous beta version, which only allowed standard resolutions.
YouTube Go was first announced about a year ago and has since been rolled out in India, Indonesia, and Nigeria – three huge markets struggling to get fast connectivity for everyone.
In addition to Southeast Asia, Google is today rolling out the beta to the African countries of Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
In the coming weeks, Sri Lanka, Senegal and Uganda will also get it.
Obviously, because the app is aimed at these emerging markets, it's coming out for Androids first, not iOS. You can download it from Google Play or sign up to be notified when it's released for your market.
