YouTube's Annotations Editor will no longer be available to creators beginning May 2. Instead, it will offer End Screens and Cards specific to mobile phones.

YouTube made the announcement on Friday, March 17, while noting that End Screen and Cards will provide the same functions as the annotations engine such as video linking and polling viewers.

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The Verge reported that YouTube's primary reason for the change is that annotations are not compatible with mobile phones and most viewers find them annoying.

In a blog post, YouTube product manager Muli Salem said that the use of the Annotations Editor which acted much like a hyperlink or footnote of the sort has dramatically fallen by 70 percent over the years since cards and end screens were introduced. The majority of the viewers either close them immediately after interaction so as not to obstruct the video screen or shut them off altogether.

"With 60 percent of YouTube's watch time now on mobile, why go through the work of creating annotations that won't even reach the majority of your audience? End Screens and Cards work on mobile and desktop, giving you more bang for your buck," said Salem.

The annotations Editor, which was introduced in 2008, will remain available on desktop version of YouTube until May 2

Engadget, meanwhile, commented that the solution - referring to Cards and End Screens - is not perfect with Cards only displaying on the right-hand side of a video after being expanded, and end Cards can only add links to videos, playlists and subscription buttons for the last 30 seconds of a video.

Moreover, TV users are left out. Engadget said that the mobile-friendly tools are not available on Google TV, Chromecast or other set-top boxes.

Nonetheless, Engadget said the that the move benefit users, mainly those watching YouTube on mobile devices.