#SpecialDelivery: Google Spotlight Stories come to YouTube with interactive 360-degree storytelling

Editor’s note: This year, we’ve expanded the lens of what you can see on YouTube, transporting you to new places to see new things. We brought virtual reality (VR) features to YouTube’s Android app so that you can feel as though you are right there and 360-degree video support so creators can share new perspectives with their fans. Now we’re widening the lens even further by bringing you a new interactive video format, Google Spotlight Stories. For select Android devices now. More soon.

A humble caretaker is surprised when a mysterious stranger causes mischief on the roof. He investigates, but can’t seem to catch even a glimpse of the troublemaker. And so the chase goes... room to room… up and down… The stranger remains just out of sight, leaving behind only a trail of gifts…

Meanwhile, you’re following the action at your own pace, from whatever angle you please—behind you, to your left, to your right, or in front of you. All on your mobile phone.

Today we’re bringing Google Spotlight Stories to YouTube with “Special Delivery,” an original short film made by Academy Award-winning animation studio Aardman Animations (Wallace and Gromit fans, take note), viewable on the YouTube app on many Android devices.

“Special Delivery” is the latest of several Spotlight Stories to come out of Google ATAP (our Advanced Technology and Projects group). With Google Spotlight Stories, your phone becomes a window to a story happening all around you. The sensors on your phone allow the story to be interactive, so when you move your phone to various scenes, you unlock mini-stories within the story.

We didn’t want anyone to miss Aardman’s “Pink Panther”-style holiday caper! So we also made a YouTube 360 version for other Android devices, iOS devices, and the web. You can find both versions of “Special Delivery” on the Spotlight Stories YouTube channel, and you can also watch with Google Cardboard. Next year, we’ll bring Google Spotlight Stories to more Android devices and the YouTube iOS app.

You’ll want to watch “Special Delivery” a few times to find all the surprises within the story. In the full interactive experience, you’ll encounter 10 subplots, three potential ways to view the ending, and 60+ moments where you can decide to follow the story in different ways. Each viewing is unique. We don’t want to spoil the ending, so that’s all we’ll say for now…

Posted by Kurt Wilms, Senior Product Manager, YouTube VR, recently watched “Special Delivery,” and Rachid El Guerrab, Technical Project Lead, Spotlight Stories, Google ATAP, recently watched “Time Couch.”

YouTube and NBC News present Democratic primary debate in South Carolina

From presidential candidates launching their campaigns, to YouTube creators discussing issues that matter to their communities, to light-hearted moments along the campaign trail, you’ve already been following the 2016 U.S. election from multiple angles on YouTube.

Now you can watch the candidates debate on YouTube, too.

Next month, we’ll join together with NBC News to present the final DNC sanctioned Democratic presidential debate before the first caucus and primary votes are cast—with the action live streamed on YouTube. The NBC News-YouTube Democratic Candidates Debate, hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and moderated by Lester Holt, will take place on Sunday, January 17, 2016, in Charleston, S.C., airing on NBC from 9-11 p.m. ET and streamed live on the NBC News YouTube channel.

With so many YouTube fans following this election closely, of course there will be an opportunity for you to get involved. Along with Google Trends data, the debate will feature questions from the YouTube community. Look out for more information on how you can engage in the coming weeks.

Since 2005 you’ve made YouTube a home for global politics, and today you watch more than 5 million hours of news on YouTube every day. Over the course of 2016, you’ll be able to find all of the major election moments unfold on YouTube—tune in to the NBC News YouTube channel January 17 to kick off the election year.

Brandon Feldman, YouTube News, recently watched “Party Systems: Crash Course Government and Politics” and Steve Grove, Google News Lab, recently watched “Barack Obama Singing Hotline Bling by Drake.”

Watch Jay Leno, Veritasium, a-ha, Jason Derulo and more LIVE from the Nobel Peace Prize Concert!

What do talk show host Jay Leno, YouTube star Derek Muller, Norwegian band a-ha, and singer Jason Derulo have in common? They are all part of the star-studded slate of hosts and performers at this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Concert. And for the first time this year, you don’t have to be in Oslo to have front row seats to the event! The above acts and more, including MØ, KYGO, AURORA, and Emel Mathlouhti, will be live streamed directly to the Nobel Peace Prize Concert YouTube channel, so you can watch from wherever you are and on any Internet-connected device.

Exclusive to the live stream, YouTube star Derek Muller of Veritasium will host a backstage pre-show to give you a unique look at what goes on behind-the-scenes.



In its 22nd year, the Nobel Peace Prize Concert celebrates the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize award and this year is held in honor of the National Dialogue Quartet from Tunisia for their contribution to building a democracy in their homeland.

Be sure to tune in starting at 1:30 p.m. EST (19:30 CET) today, December 11, to watch the live stream at www.YouTube.com/NobelPeaceConcert and follow online at #NobelPeacePrizeConcert

Zayna Aston, YouTube Communications for Europe, Middle East and Africa, recently watched "YouTube Rewind: Now Watch Me 2015."

Celebrating what you created, watched and shared in 2015 with #YouTubeRewind and YouTube’s new Trending tab

In 2015, you introduced the world to the latest dance crazes, opened up discussions about diversity and inclusion, and lip-synced in cars and onstage in front of millions. The trends you participated in and the creativity you shared defined the year on YouTube in a bigger way than ever before.

It's time to celebrate. More than 150 YouTube creators from all over the world got together to relive not just the best moments of 2015, but also some of the most memorable viral clips from YouTube history (hey, it’s still our 10th birthday year for a few more days yet …). The result: the 2015 installment of our annual Rewind video, featuring everything from YouTube dance prodigies, some of your favorite TV personalities, an epic plastic ball fight, and even a remix from Avicii.



And there’s more. Celebrate some of your favorite moments on YouTube through our official top trending videos of 2015, based on the amount of time people spent watching, sharing, commenting, liking, and more. Topped by one of the year's biggest dance trends, these videos were watched for over 25 million hours and were created by powerhouse channels with over 40 million subscribers between them.

For the first time, not just one, but four television moments made the top Trending Videos list. Three are late night TV videos of widely popular YouTube trends: the lip sync battle, the in-car singalongs, and the reading of mean tweets. You all love late night TV on YouTube—the time people spent catching up on late-night clips like Corden, Fallon and Kimmel nearly doubled in the last year alone!

1. Silento- Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae) #WatchMeDanceOn by Tianne King
2. Clash of Clans: Revenge (Official Super Bowl TV Commercial) by Clash of Clans
3. Crazy Plastic Ball PRANK!! by RomanAtwood
4. Love Has No Labels | Diversity & Inclusion | Ad Council by Ad Council
5. Lip Sync Battle with Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart and Jimmy Fallon by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
6. Justin Bieber Carpool Karaoke by The Late Late Show with James Corden
7. 6ft Man in 6ft Giant Water Balloon - 4K - The Slow Mo Guys by The Slow Mo Guys
8. Golden boy Calum Scott hits the right note | Audition Week 1 | Britain's Got Talent 2015 by Britain's Got Talent
9. Dover Police DashCam Confessional (Shake it Off) by Dover Police
10. Mean Tweets - President Obama Edition by Jimmy Kimmel Live

When it comes to music, 2015 saw some of our fastest-rising videos of all time. Wiz Khalifa's "See You Again" reached over 1 billion views in just 6 months and Adele reached the year's top 10 in just a few weeks. The top 10 music videos collectively have more than 66 million subscribers, and people spent over 37,000 years playing them in 2015.

1. Wiz Khalifa - See You Again ft. Charlie Puth [Official Video] Furious 7 Soundtrack
2. Maroon 5 - Sugar
3. Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do (Official Video)
4. Major Lazer & DJ Snake - Lean On (feat. MØ) (Official Music Video)
5. Taylor Swift - Bad Blood ft. Kendrick Lamar
6. David Guetta - Hey Mama (Official Video) ft Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack
7. Sia - Elastic Heart feat. Shia LaBeouf & Maddie Ziegler (Official Video)
8. Fifth Harmony - Worth It ft. Kid Ink
9. Adele - Hello
10. Silentó - Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae) (Official)

...and check out even more top music videos.

And if you love staying on top of the most-anticipated new trailers, hottest music videos, and viral clips from YouTube creators, today we unveil the new YouTube Trending tab. This new tab in your YouTube app delivers the top trending videos directly to your Android, iOS, and desktop device. It's the best way to catch the videos, creators, and trends that people watch, share, and talk about each and every day. See 'em as they take off and before they appear in YouTube Rewind 2016. And for more Rewind fun, check out the YouTube Rewind channel!

Kevin Allocca, Head of Culture & Trends, and the YouTube Rewind team, recently watched “YouTube Rewind: Now Watch Me 2015 | #YouTubeRewind.”