YouTube Vanced, a well-known YouTube Android app community modification, is reportedly shutting down after the app developers were threatened with legal implications by Google.
According to the developers of the app, the project will cease its operations in the upcoming days and the download links will also be removed soon.
Under the cease-and-desist letter sent to YouTube Vanced developers, it is required to change the logo along with all the links and references to YouTube to be removed.
Also known as Vanced, this is a third-party application developed by the community to bypass multiple YouTube changes and restrictions. Additionally, it also blocks all advertisements, including sponsored content, without getting a subscription to YouTube Premium.
Android enthusiasts have showcased their disinterest in the official YouTube app for various reasons. The third-party app allowed those users to personalize their YouTube experience by offering multiple features like removing Shorts, a true black theme, bringing back the dislike button, several video-player related options, ads for movies on YouTube among others.
In addition, the YouTube Vanced application enabled users to play videos in the background as well as block ads for free, both of which generally need a subscription which starts at a monthly price of Rs. 129.
Vanced is not the first unauthorized YouTube app to be shut down. As a matter of fact, the legal team of YouTube has recently sent similar legal threats to two well-known Discord bots, Rhythm and Groovy, which enabled listening to music.
Vanced is not the only unauthorized YouTube application available for the Android operating system; there are other apps like the NewPipe, which continue to function, and since it is open-source, the chance of its survival is better than Vanced.
For the time being, users can still use Vanced and for current users, they should update to the latest version since the download links would be deleted soon.
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