NewsBytes
    Hindi Tamil Telugu
    More
    In the news
    Narendra Modi
    Amit Shah
    Box Office Collection
    Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
    OTT releases
    Hindi Tamil Telugu
    NewsBytes
    User Placeholder

    Hi,

    Logout

    India
    Business
    World
    Politics
    Sports
    Technology
    Entertainment
    Auto
    Lifestyle
    Inspirational
    Career
    Bengaluru
    Delhi
    Mumbai

    Download Android App

    Follow us on
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkedin
    Home / News / Technology News / YouTube ends test that required subscription for watching 4K videos
    Next Article
    YouTube ends test that required subscription for watching 4K videos
    YouTube has fully turned off the experiment making 4K video a premium feature (Photo credit: YouTube)

    YouTube ends test that required subscription for watching 4K videos

    By Athik Saleh
    Oct 19, 2022
    05:25 am

    What's the story

    YouTube created an uproar among its users when it locked the ability to watch videos in 4K resolution behind its Premium wall.

    The company has now announced through one of its official Twitter accounts that it has turned off the restriction.

    This was part of one of YouTube's experiments to entice its free users to the Premium tier.

    Context

    Why does this story matter?

    YouTube is going through a lean patch. In the last quarter, its revenue grew only a minuscule 5%.

    For a company that is used to double-digit growth rates, anything below that is slow. It seems that YouTube has identified a fix for the issue - more Premium subscribers.

    However, the company should take into consideration how users respond to these experiments.

    Restriction

    YouTube wanted to gauge user reaction to the restriction

    Last month, YouTube started restricting 4K videos to its Premium subscribers. This restriction wasn't universal though.

    Those who were restricted found "Premium" written below the 2160p. The company conducted the test to understand users' reactions when a feature is pushed to the premium tier.

    As expected, people were fuming. Some considered this as YouTube's downfall, while others were more understanding.

    Change

    YouTube has 'fully turned off the experiment'

    YouTube's announcement that it has "fully turned off the experiment" came as a response to a snarky reply to one of its tweets.

    TeamYouTube, one of YouTube's several handles, wrote, "viewers should now be able to access 4K quality resolutions without Premium membership. We're here if you have other q's (questions)."

    We are not sure how many people the test actually affected.

    Twitter Post

    YouTube made the announcement in reply to a tweet

    we've fully turned off this experiment. viewers should now be able to access 4K quality resolutions without Premium membership. we're here if you have other q's

    — TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) October 17, 2022

    Feedback

    You can give your feedback to the experiment

    YouTube's rollback of the feature isn't an assurance. For all we know, the company might just make 4K videos a premium feature.

    We have seen far more unpopular features making it to the streaming site. Therefore, if you feel strongly about YouTube's recently conducted experiment, you should leave your feedback.

    In a tweet, YouTube has provided instructions for giving direct feedback.

    Premium push

    YouTube tested 10 unskippable ads in video last month

    YouTube is always pushing free users to the Premium tier. In India, you have to pay Rs. 129/month to get access to premium features.

    It was only last month the company pushed 10 unskippable ads into a video's break. These tests help YouTube understand how people will react if it makes a change to the platform.

    Facebook
    Whatsapp
    Twitter
    Linkedin
    Related News
    Latest
    YouTube
    YouTube Premium

    Latest

    Anurag Kashyap reveals how Vijay Sethupathi convinced him for 'Maharaja' Anurag Kashyap
    Guess Nayanthara's fee for upcoming film with Chiranjeevi  Chiranjeevi
    How Barcelona dominated Real Madrid in 2024-25 season across competitions? Real Madrid
    Arsenal stage stunning comeback to draw 2-2 against Liverpool: Stats Trent Alexander-Arnold

    YouTube

    YouTuber 'Hindustani Bhau' arrested for 'instigating' student protest in Mumbai COVID-19 India
    5 reasons to definitely watch 'Thank You For Sharing' India
    'Yathaarth' review: Can you revisit your past to fix present? Entertainment
    Sansad TV's YouTube account hacked, renamed to Ethereum Parliament

    YouTube Premium

    YouTube to take on Netflix, Amazon with its original content Amazon Prime Video
    Soon, YouTube's original content will be free: Details here YouTube
    Want to play YouTube videos in background? Try these tricks India
    How YouTube Premium, YouTube Music compare with competitors in India India
    Indian Premier League (IPL) Celebrity Hollywood Bollywood UEFA Champions League Tennis Football Smartphones Cryptocurrency Upcoming Movies Premier League Cricket News Latest automobiles Latest Cars Upcoming Cars Latest Bikes Upcoming Tablets
    About Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us Ethical Conduct Grievance Redressal News News Archive Topics Archive Download DevBytes Find Cricket Statistics
    Follow us on
    Facebook Twitter Linkedin
    All rights reserved © NewsBytes 2025