Report: YouTube to launch new social features

YouTube is reportedly preparing to launch a host of new social features, as part of a service known internally as Backstage.

According to a VentureBeat report, the update will allow users to share photos, text, polls, and links through the video service, letting creators populate Facebook or Twitter-style timelines.

The report claims Backstage will bring new types of content to YouTube and offer new ways to share video, and is designed to head off competition from social networks and media sharing apps.

Backstage is expected to launch on mobile and desktop later this year, possibly as early as autumn, with the features initially rolling out to select YouTube accounts, VentureBeat reported.

Separately, a Business Insider report said that YouTube is also redesigning its ‘leanback’ living room app in a bid to get people to tune in for longer and come back more often.