Google is expanding access to some YouTube Premium features to more types of devices. The company will provide features such as improved sound quality and customizable playback speeds across different platforms.
YouTube Premium features are coming to more devices
Fine-tuning the playback speed of YouTube videos is a key feature for many people, which was only available in the mobile web version of YouTube. Now, Google is making the faster playback speeds of up to 4x with the ability to change it in 0.05x increments available on Android, iOS, and the web.
YouTube’s option to automatically download Shorts for offline viewing and the picture-in-picture mode for shorts was previously available for Android users, while on iOS, it was an opt-in experiment. Now, the feature is also fully available on iPhones. Premium’s Jump Ahead feature, allowing you to skip to “key moments” of a video, is now available on game consoles and smart TVs.
Higher-quality music is now available on the main app
The YouTube Premium subscription includes access to YouTube Music, which also has a separate app. Previously, you could choose a higher audio quality on the YouTube Music app or opt in on the main YouTube app.
Which of the new YouTube features would you use the most?
Granular speed control
25%
Offline Shorts
0%
Picture-in-picture for Shorts
12.5%
Higher-quality audio on the YouTube app
62.5%
Now, you’ll be able to select “High” quality from the audio settings on the main app on both iOS and Android. That would allow you to listen to music at a 256kbps bitrate. The feature only applies to official/premium music videos and the so-called “Art Tracks.” Those are the automatically generated videos of songs without official music videos that are featured in a music album.
A quality of life update
Those updates are not groundbreaking, but they make YouTube a little better, especially for power users. I rarely go beyond 2x on any video or podcast, but having such a granular control over the playback speed sounds like a great perk. People would still get YouTube Premium mainly to remove the ads, but anything on top of that is welcome.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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