Google intends to try everything to get more users to adopt its YouTube Premium subscription, and could even block access to 4K definition for free users.
Last year, YouTube Premium and Music had no less than 50 million subscribers, but Google certainly doesn’t want to stop there. In the hope of attracting new customers to its paid service, the American giant could well making a key function of the platform inaccessible to non-paying users.
Indeed, as revealed by several users on Reddit, the company would now plan to charge for access to 4K definition for videos on its platform. Still, YouTube has been making it free to choose from all available definitions under videos for years now, but the highest definitions may soon only be accessible by Premium subscribers.
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Google wants users to pay for higher quality videos
As a screenshot from YouTube reveals, Google seems to be testing the restriction well in several users. Those using YouTube for free will see a ” Premium, tap to upgrade alongside the 2160p definition below the videos.
Google has yet to confirm plans to make 4K streaming exclusive to YouTube Premium. It is highly likely that the company will experiment with this change to see the audience reaction and decide if making 4K videos exclusive to YouTube Premium is a good idea or not. We also don’t know if Google wants to restrict access to 4K only on smartphones, or if the change is aimed at any device capable of playing YouTube videos.
As a reminder, YouTube Premium currently costs 11.99 euros per month in France. While waiting to learn more about YouTube, Google fans are also waiting for the company to clarify the fate of Stadia, and especially its controller. Indeed, they would like Google to make the controller compatible with Bluetooth to play on other platforms, because it only works for the moment by being connected with a cable.