A new app called YouTube Kids is all set to launch on Monday, Feb. 23, as an age-appropriate version of YouTube specifically designed for children.
YouTube Kids will be available separately from the regular YouTube app, and will initially be available only on Android smartphones and tablets. Considering that it is designed with children in mind, the app will boast a kid-friendly interface with big, obvious icons and will require minimal scrolling. Moreover, kids who can't write yet will be able to enjoy voice search.
In terms of user interface, the home screen features images from popular TV shows, and kids will be able to browse through top videos via four simple icons - shows, music, learning, and explore. YouTube Kids will reportedly offer original TV shows for kids, as well as videos from kid channels on YouTube. Partners such as Mother Goose Club, DreamWorks TV, Jim Henson TV, and others, will also provide curated third-party content.
Parental controls, meanwhile, will allow parents or guardians to set a timer so children don't stay on YouTube Kids longer than they're allowed to. Also, kids will not be able to post content on YouTube, they'll only be able to watch.
As previously mentioned, the YouTube Kids app will make its official debut on Monday, Feb. 23, at the Kidscreen Summit 2015.
"We are thrilled to announce that YouTube's Head of Family/EDU Malik Ducard will open 2015's biggest event for leaders in children's entertainment with a revealing keynote entitled Press Play on Fun," reads a new announcement on the Kidscreen Summit 2015 website.
"Online and mobile video viewing rates continue to skyrocket pretty much everywhere, and YouTube has a rock-solid grip on this audience. Today, YouTube is home to millions of families across the globe seeking out content that entertains, educates and inspires their children. With parent company Google currently revamping several of its products for kids 12 and under, YouTube's Head of Family/EDU Malik Ducard will talk about new opportunities for producers to engage families like never before."
According to YouTube, parents have been asking for a more child-friendly version of YouTube for quite some time.
"Parents were constantly asking us, can you make YouTube a better place for our kids," YouTube product manager Shimrit Ben-Yair told USA Today.
The upcoming YouTube Kids app aims to do just that, arrive as an age-appropriate application. The app will not include a comments section, and kids will be told to search for something else when they attempt to look up something using search terms inappropriate for their age, such as "sex."
Ben-Yair further pointed out that family entertainment channels have seen a whopping 200 percent growth year over year, while the rest of the site saw only 50 percent growth. This clearly indicates that there's great potential in this sector, and YouTube Kids is expected to be a big hit.
It remains unclear at this point just how YouTube will make money from this new kid-friendly app, but the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) notes that it may serve ads (age-appropriate, of course).
