YouTube is running a test that puts its 4K videos behind a YouTube Premium subscription. In recent weeks, some users have reported seeing video playback at 2160p resolution limited with text labeling it as a premium feature. YouTube has since confirmed via Twitter that those who saw the new restrictions were part of an experiment to better understand the feature preferences of Premium and non-Premium viewers.
It’s not clear whether YouTube will actually limit all non-Premium users to 1440p video quality, and the company is directing users to give feedback on the limitations so that the Google grant can “make improvements.” Google did not provide further clarification when contacted The edge for comment.
A YouTube Premium subscription will set you back $11.99 per month in the US, with prices varying in other regions. The service gives access to YouTube Music Premium, as well as in-app downloads, background playback, and most importantly, ad-free viewing. YouTube is known for quite aggressive ads, with 9to5Google reporting that an earlier test saw the company place as many as ten non-skippable ads on a single video.
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