YouTube has ended the experiment that locked the ability to watch videos in 4K behind its $11.99 per month premium membership, according to one of his official Twitter accounts (through 9to5Google). Earlier this month, the company caused a stir when it confirmed with a series of now-deleted tweets that some of its users were part of a test designed to “explore the Premium and non-Premium viewers feature preferences” and ask users for feedback. give up on the idea.
The idea of having to pay to access higher-resolution videos has been divisive, with some users calling it a sign of the platform’s demise, and others saying it was understandable given the cost of streaming 4K video. content. In fact, YouTube’s announcement that it had “completely disabled” the experiment, bringing the 4K option back to everyone, was in response to a snarky tweet about forcing premium subscriptions. It’s unclear how many people were actually restricted from choosing higher resolutions when the test was in effect.
YouTube’s termination of the test does not necessarily mean that 4K will never be limited to Premium subscribers again. say nothing about what it learned from the test. Earlier this year, Google’s CEO warned employees that the company “needs to be more entrepreneurial, with more urgency, sharper focus and more hunger than we’ve shown on sunnier days,” and the most recent earnings report showed YouTube’s revenue growth was delayed. In other words, feel free to go back to enjoying 4K videos, but keep in mind that they may not be there forever.
