YouTube is reportedly experimenting with making 4K video resolution a feature available only to viewers who subscribe to YouTube Premium.
Some, but not all, YouTube users are seeing the 2160p (4K) option for video quality limited only to those with a Premium account, MacRumors reported Monday (Oct. 3), citing screenshots posted by users on Twitter and Reddit.
Posts about some users encountering a “Premium” tag on the 4K option have been appearing over the past month, Ars Technica noted Tuesday (Oct. 4).
A YouTube spokesperson told PYMNTS via email that the company has no comment.
YouTube Premium is a paid membership that costs $11.99 per month and enables members to watch videos and listen to music without interruption by ads, download them to use when offline and keep playing them without interruption when opening another app, according to a YouTube Premium webpage.
About two-thirds of consumers subscribe to streaming services. PYMNTS research has found that 62.6% of consumers had current subscriptions to streaming services in July, down from 69.7% in May, according to the September edition of the “Subscription Commerce Conversion Index,” a PYMNTS and sticky.io collaboration.
The research found there’s been a modest increase in retail subscription service cancellations as consumers scale back on recurring payments — and streaming services have borne the brunt of these cutbacks.
Related: Subscription Plans Must Be Simple and Streamlined to Scale
According to the report, “Consumers awash in subscription choices and sign-up offers are now specifically seeking features that provide them with enjoyment and lasting, reliable convenience — things that make them happier and their lives easier.”
In fact, 65% of retail subscribers enroll as subscribers due to these two factors, PYMNTS research found.
Google recently introduced new features to YouTube, including one that enables eligible creators to link their Shopify store to their YouTube channel, giving users a new way to shop and engage with creators.
Read more: Google Rolls out Tweaks to Make YouTube, Search More Shoppable
As YouTube Vice President of Shopping Product David Katz said in a July blog post: “For a more seamless shopping experience, creators in the U.S. can enable onsite checkout so that viewers can complete their purchases without leaving YouTube.”
We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with innovators and disruptors.
Learn More