Nvidia already demoed the upcoming Youtube app for Android TV with New Interface and 360 video in CES 2017.

Check it our (from 2:02 mark)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JM2B1ECzTI&t=170s

YouTube v12.03 hints at intelligent auto-download for offline viewing, Picture-in-Picture support for Android TV, and viewer polls [APK Teardown]

I just hope the update fixes the subscription list. If you have a lot of subscriptions, it cuts off the end of the list.

I don't know what has caused this change, but now videos start at 1080p right away with Nougat on the Shield, while before on MM the app always tried to show the videos at 480p or 720p. That's a good thing.

It would be awesome also if it would be possible to change the playback speed.

PIP is a nice feature but not groundbreaking.

Maybe also a button to scroll through the description and the comments of the videos, but that's not very important imo.

My biggest knock against google is that they are liable to abandon anything except their search engine, gmail, and youtube itself in the next few years.

I have no idea if they'll be backing Android Auto or Android TV say, two years from now. They have so much money that they can afford to go all in on lots of big projects and drop them a short time later if they aren't working out.

I sideloaded the smartyoutube app and it works perfectly even has the new UI. Only issue is that it maxes out at 1080p

It seems to me that they should really be pushing YT Red hard on Android TV. At the very least, a "RED" option on the left bar along with "Suggested" and "Subscribed."

It is more like they abandoned Android TV all together :-p At least the individual apps. All the Google apps are a joke to show of the platform. No decent image gallery that can do a slide show from Google Photos? :(

yes

These are much different products. And the answer is no.