If you"ve ever wanted to quickly show a YouTube video to a friend without the additional hassle of sharing the link via an external app, the service has now added a new feature to its Android and iOS applications today that allows users to share videos, and even chat about them privately. In essence, this is a messaging feature integrated within the app.
It functions pretty much like one would expect it to; you can chat about any video without leaving the app, rather than having to begin a completely different conversation in another application. According to Benoît de Boursetty, Product Manager at YouTube:
These shared videos all live in a brand new tab on your YouTube mobile app, making it easier than ever to catch up on videos your friends have shared or to show them a few of your own favorites.
Videos can be shared with a single person or multiple contacts at once, via the share button - which previously only allowed distribution via external means. Anyone added to the chat can share their own favorite YouTube videos as well, which means that a single thread can serve the purpose of discussing multiple videos at the same time.
This capability was previously only available in Canada, but has now been released worldwide. However, it is currently only usable on Android and iOS devices; as of now, no information has been provided regarding a release for the desktop version of YouTube.
Source and image: YouTube