The visual representation used to launch the YouTube application on Apple’s iOS 6 operating system was a distinct element of the user interface. This graphic served as the primary method for accessing the video-sharing platform on devices like the iPhone 5 and earlier iterations running that particular version of the mobile operating system. Its design was noticeably different from subsequent iterations of the app icon.
Its relevance lies in its representation of a specific era of mobile app design and the evolution of the YouTube application across different operating systems. Understanding its design and context provides insight into the historical development of mobile application interfaces and the brand identity of a major online platform. This early visual marker is a relic of an earlier, now-discontinued software standard that was at one point ubiquitous for Apple users.