First launched in 2016, the popular video-sharing app YouTube Go formed part of an array of Google “Go” apps, stripped-down versions of their main apps that consume less data and can stay connected in areas with bad cellular signal. The other apps included Google Go, Maps Go, Gallery Go, Google Assistant Go, Gmail Go, Gboard Go, and Files Go. To function on less powerful devices, Google stripped numerous features from YouTube Go  — including the ability to comment, post videos, or use the dark theme. The app has been incredibly popular, with more than 500 million downloads since launching on the Google Play Store.

However, it was last updated on 25 October 2021. Instead, Google said it has been focusing on improving data consumption and on-device and network performance on its main YouTube app to cater to a more inclusive range of devices. These changes would effectively make YouTube Go unnecessary, Google said. “YouTube has invested in improvements to the main YouTube app that make it perform better in these environments, while also delivering a better user experience which is inclusive of our entire community,” the YouTube team said in a blog post on Tuesday. “Specifically, we have improved performance for entry-level devices or those that watch YouTube on slower networks.” “We’re also building out additional user controls that help to decrease mobile data usage for viewers with limited data – so stay tuned for more updates,” it added. Google will begin shutting down the app in August 2022, after which users will have to download and install the main YouTube app or use a browser to access the platform.