YouTube has introduced an “enhanced 1080p HD video quality” for Premium subscribers. However, it is only available for iOS at the moment. The option will be made available to web users soon. The new premium 1080p option, to YouTube is an “enhanced bitrate version 1080p” that’s meant to make videos look sharper, especially when there’s a lot of motion.
This is YouTube testing the feature. Some were concerned that YouTube would reduce the 1080p option for non-subscribers. The standard 1080p option won’t be changing, even for Premium subscribers.
The standard 1080p option will still be available for videos, even those with 1080p Premium. YouTube claims that not all videos will be able to use the 1080p Premium option. This is because YouTube doesn’t allow you to see it in videos with higher resolutions than 1080p, shorts or livestreams.
Even though I don’t own YouTube Premium, it’s interesting to see how much difference 1080p Premium makes. Mitchell Clark , my former colleague, pointed out that there are many things that go into making videos look great. However, an enhanced bitrate should theoretically make them look better because it puts more information per pixel.
YouTube also revealed some other premium features, including the ability to share videos with family and friends via FaceTime via SharePlay. YouTube already has a similar feature for Android: it allows subscribers to use Google Meet, which allows them to watch videos together, regardless of whether they are paying Premium.
You can also use the Premium feature to pick up where your video left off across Android, iOS and the platform’s desktop website. This is especially useful if you are watching something on your phone but want to expand it on a larger screen like your laptop. It’s also nice to be able watch something on the move even if it was originally on your computer.
YouTube is also expanding its Premium Queuing feature to tablets and phones. This allows you to create a list with videos you’d like to see next. YouTube is also rolling out smart downloading features that it began testing last summer. This will automatically add recommended videos to your library when you are connected to Wi-Fi. You can also view them offline. This is great for when you are on the plane, traveling without Wi-Fi and forgot to download videos. However, it can be quite a storage hog if it’s not disabled.
YouTube reported last year that it had 30 million global paid subscribers to its Premium and Music offerings. This is a significant increase from the 50,000,000 paid subscribers YouTube claimed it had in 2021. It seems like the service has been adding more value. I am weighing whether to subscribe to Spotify or YouTube as my music source. I might also pay a little more to have ad-free music and videos in addition to YouTube Premium’s other benefits.
