YouTube keeps its unique mobile design language in contrast to other Google apps. YouTube appears to be testing a blurred bottom bar on Android devices, so that trend appears to be continuing.

The new bottom bar is still brief, has text labels, and has simplified icons for Home and Subscriptions. In the meantime, the white circle that outlined the + button has vanished. Naturally, the biggest alteration is that it is no longer solid.

The YouTube background feed is displayed in this transparent bottom bar. Because YouTube’s Home feed consists solely of huge video thumbnails, it functions. The three-button navigation in this example doubles the height of the bottom bar, making the design extremely apparent. When using gesture navigation, the effect will be reduced.

It’s hardly noticeable that it’s blurry on the darkly colored You tab. This blurring reminds me a little bit of the video player’s Ambient Mode. It comes after YouTube redesigned the miniplayer, removing its docking to the bottom bar.