YouTube received a major overhaul today with the introduction of widescreen videos. The hugely-popular video-sharing website has had its page width increased to 960 pixels in order to "better reflect the quality of the videos [users] create and the screens [they] use to watch them," according to a blog announcement explaining the change.
The long-awaited transition to the 16:9 aspect ratio finally brings the service up to the standards of other video sharing sites such as Vimeo and Hulu. Obviously, the move is also motivated by the company's long term goal of featuring full length movies on the site, with MGM being the first major studio to provide its content. Moreover, users who wish to continue uploading 4:3 videos can continue to do so, and YouTube's player will display an unaltered image with black bars either side.