YouTube Android app gets much needed Material Design makeover

YouTube is no longer the ugly duckling of Google’s Android apps, as the newest version finally gets some Material Design love.

Version 6.0 revamps the slide-out menu and adds color-heavy navigation at the top of the screen, along with adding some better search tools.

Channels are easier to spot thanks to a colored icon next to each one, which pops out against the white background. When selecting a channel you'll notice a different color scheme in the user interface, which adds some visual polish.

YouTube now looks right at home on Lollipop with its new Material Design makeover.

Another nice addition is advanced search filters, making it easier to find the right video in YouTube’s massive catalogue.

The new version is doing its usual staggered rollout to the Play Store. You can grab the APK now if you're the impatient sort.

The story behind the story: Google has big ambitions for YouTube, pushing its nascentMusic Key service as another reason to get on board with a Google Play Music subscription. So if Google is going to convince you to spend even more time in YouTube it better look nice—especially since most of Google's apps already have the slick-looking Material Design aesthetic.