Code discovered in the latest version of YouTube's Android app suggests that the company is working on a separate application called Tamba, featuring followers, direct messages, group chats, and social posts.
Android Authority discovered references to Tamba while analyzing version 21.44.534 of the YouTube app for Android. Tamba is associated with a separate package, com.google.android.youtube.sandbox, which YouTube's code treats as an independent application.
Among the graphical assets is a logo featuring the name Tamba alongside a scribble-like symbol with a cutout resembling a video play button. The same symbol, without the text, could serve as the app's icon.
Researchers found 38 new icons associated with Tamba, including icons for the home screen, search, post creation, camera, inbox, chat, stickers, and microphone. Other icons include a crown, a padlock, and a game controller.
Social features, group chats, and YouTube Shorts
Text strings found in the code reference user profiles, followers, follow requests, private profiles, direct messages, group chats, posts, reactions, comments, and replies.
The app also appears to support voice replies and the sharing of YouTube Shorts, which could be played directly within conversations and accessed through the bottom navigation bar.
References to ANDROID_SANDBOX and IOS_SANDBOX suggest that the project could eventually become available on both Android and iOS.
Tamba could remain an experimental project
The "sandbox" designation suggests that Tamba is an experimental environment for testing social features rather than a finished product.
According to Android Authority, these features could eventually be integrated into the main YouTube app instead of launching as a separate application, as YouTube is already introducing social functionality to its existing platform.
Google has not confirmed whether or when Tamba will become publicly available.
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