The living room has become a central battleground for YouTube, as more people turn to television screens. Now the Google-owned platform is trying to make watching videos on TV more interactive, across formats like live and Shorts, new job listings show.
The shift is reflected in a wave of recent job postings at YouTube focused on “living room” experiences across product, design, and engineering, spanning live streaming, Shorts on TV, and subscription features. These point to a broader push to deepen engagement on the biggest screen. The move comes as connected TVs accounted for over 44% of YouTube watch time in the U.S. in 2026, up from about 41% in 2022, according to data from eMarketer shared with TechCrunch.
