YouTube Shorts now being watched by over 1.5 bn users

San Francisco, June 16 Google-owned music and video streaming platform YouTube has confirmed that more than 1.5 billion logged-in users are now watching Shorts every month, less than two years after its launch.

According to TechCrunch, related to its new milestone, YouTube also promoted Shorts' ability to drive viewers to creators' long-form video channels as a byproduct of its investments in Shorts.

As per the report, it is referring to the trend as "the rise of the multiformat creator" but, in reality, it seems to be more an admission that YouTube still sees more value in its longer-form content.

The company, in its announcement, positioned its video platform as one that better reflects the reality of today's viewer, who engages with video at different times and places throughout the day.

In some cases, users will want to quickly scroll through shorter content, such as when killing time while out and about. At other times, they may be able to watch for longer periods and will turn to traditional YouTube videos to do so, the report said.

However, YouTube's report does not take into account how TikTok has been steadily inching into its territory with long-form content of its own, and could potentially lure creators to a platform where both shorter and longer content is more intertwined.