[FIXED in 0.27.5] [YouTube] IOS player response is not valid error when loading some videos

[rjdg14]

Checklist

• I am able to reproduce the bug with the latest version given here: CLICK THIS LINK.
• I made sure that there are no existing issues - open or closed - which I could contribute my information to.
• I have read the FAQ and my problem isn't listed.
• I have taken the time to fill in all the required details. I understand that the bug report will be dismissed otherwise.
• This issue contains only one bug.
• I have read and understood the contribution guidelines.

Affected version

0.27.4

Steps to reproduce the bug

1: Load a random video
2: Some videos will not play and instead present an error report

Expected behavior

The videos should be loading normally.

Actual behavior

A sad face error page is instead shown along with "Sorry, something went wrong" and a log button.

Screenshots/Screen recordings

No response

Logs

Exception

• User Action: requested stream
• Request: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElOAnyqLE8s
• Content Country: GB
• Content Language: en-GB
• App Language: en_GB
• Service: YouTube
• Version: 0.27.4
• OS: Linux Android 14 - 34

Crash log

org.schabi.newpipe.extractor.exceptions.ExtractionException: IOS player response is not valid
	at org.schabi.newpipe.extractor.services.youtube.extractors.YoutubeStreamExtractor.fetchIosMobileJsonPlayer(YoutubeStreamExtractor.java:974)
	at org.schabi.newpipe.extractor.services.youtube.extractors.YoutubeStreamExtractor.onFetchPage(YoutubeStreamExtractor.java:830)
	at org.schabi.newpipe.extractor.Extractor.fetchPage(Extractor.java:60)
	at org.schabi.newpipe.extractor.stream.StreamInfo.getInfo(StreamInfo.java:77)
	at org.schabi.newpipe.extractor.stream.StreamInfo.getInfo(StreamInfo.java:72)
	at org.schabi.newpipe.util.ExtractorHelper.lambda$getStreamInfo$3(ExtractorHelper.java:118)
	at org.schabi.newpipe.util.ExtractorHelper.$r8$lambda$bVfA-5gb6gDc8jcAgcGWG5oH0FE(ExtractorHelper.java:0)
	at org.schabi.newpipe.util.ExtractorHelper$$ExternalSyntheticLambda3.call(R8$$SyntheticClass:0)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.internal.operators.single.SingleFromCallable.subscribeActual(SingleFromCallable.java:43)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.core.Single.subscribe(Single.java:4855)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.internal.operators.single.SingleDoOnSuccess.subscribeActual(SingleDoOnSuccess.java:35)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.core.Single.subscribe(Single.java:4855)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.internal.operators.maybe.MaybeFromSingle.subscribeActual(MaybeFromSingle.java:41)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.core.Maybe.subscribe(Maybe.java:5377)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.internal.operators.maybe.MaybeConcatArray$ConcatMaybeObserver.drain(MaybeConcatArray.java:153)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.internal.operators.maybe.MaybeConcatArray$ConcatMaybeObserver.request(MaybeConcatArray.java:78)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.internal.operators.flowable.FlowableElementAtMaybe$ElementAtSubscriber.onSubscribe(FlowableElementAtMaybe.java:66)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.internal.operators.maybe.MaybeConcatArray.subscribeActual(MaybeConcatArray.java:42)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.core.Flowable.subscribe(Flowable.java:16144)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.internal.operators.flowable.FlowableElementAtMaybe.subscribeActual(FlowableElementAtMaybe.java:36)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.core.Maybe.subscribe(Maybe.java:5377)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.internal.operators.maybe.MaybeToSingle.subscribeActual(MaybeToSingle.java:46)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.core.Single.subscribe(Single.java:4855)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.internal.operators.single.SingleSubscribeOn$SubscribeOnObserver.run(SingleSubscribeOn.java:89)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.core.Scheduler$DisposeTask.run(Scheduler.java:644)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.internal.schedulers.ScheduledRunnable.run(ScheduledRunnable.java:65)
	at io.reactivex.rxjava3.internal.schedulers.ScheduledRunnable.call(ScheduledRunnable.java:56)
	at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264)
	at java.util.concurrent.ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor$ScheduledFutureTask.run(ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor.java:307)
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:644)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:1012)

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Affected Android/Custom ROM version

Android 15

Affected device model

Nokia X10

Additional information

Currently this issue is only affecting some videos.

[NottLexa]

Same issue here with a strange behavior. I can try to play some videos from my watch history, and one video after another will have the same error with IOS player. However, after trying to play 3 or 4 more videos they begin to work again, and even the old ones, which were initially causing this error. Stopping and reopening the whole app doesn't have any effect on this.

[m-hugo]

duplicate of #11478

[FaFre]

Had the same issue on almost all videos, clearing the app cache solved the issue for me.

[smemsh]

duplicate of #11478

the stack trace is somewhat different. are you sure it's the same bug?

[rjdg14]

Had the same issue on almost all videos, clearing the app cache solved the issue for me.

I would say it's happening randomly on every third or so video, and then clears up after a few attempts. Clearing my cache didn't seem to make a difference.

[stevleibelt]

Same for me but I can not find a pattern. It even happens when pausing a video for less than five minutes. Sometimes it helps switching the network (mobile data vs. wifi), by clearing the cache or waiting up to an hour. No method is a clear problem solver.
My best guess is that youtube is doing a kind of a/b testing on their servers/backends.