I don't have a smartphone but I do have an iPod Touch. I use it to watch YouTube when my feet hurt and I have to put them up.

Over the last couple of months I've noticed something strange. About every day or so, the YouTube app will act like it is disconnected from the internet. Safari works fine and so does Netflix. The only way to fix it is to turn off the WiFi and turn it back on. Then YouTube says it's connected again.

The last week or so I've read posts that talk about YouTube hanging.

It dawned on me, maybe YouTube is trying to change the internet connection to a mobile cell instead of WiFi. What's more, it's doing it without affecting the settings on the device.

Which raises the question, does the YouTube iOS app have the capability for a internet connection independent of the the actual device settings?

If so, why?

Could this be designed to happen without the user knowing?