YouTube tests higher-quality video for Premium subs

YouTube has begun testing a higher-quality 1080p video option that is only available to premium subscribers.

A Reddit user first spotted the new 1080p Premium setting with an enhanced bit-rate, leading YouTube to admit that it was testing the new higher-quality setting with a limited number of premium subscribers.

As cited by PCMag, YouTube said that the move did not mean any changes to the current quality of 1080p HD resolution on the platform.

YouTube Premium offers access to an ad-free version of the platform, the ability to download content for offline viewing on mobile devices and access to YouTube Music.

YouTube has previously experimented with offering higher bit-rate video for an additional premium.

In other YouTube news, the Google-owned video sharing platform has weighed in against possible moves by the EU to introduce more restrictive rules on political advertising.

According to YouTube, EU policymakers could limit platforms including YouTube’s ability to recommend content defined as a political ad. However, it said, the EU is considering going further by defining unpaid-for videos as political ads in some circumstances.

“While we share the overall goal of helping to build people’s trust in the political ads they see online, we’re concerned that the law could go far beyond what many people would consider as a political ad. In fact, it could end up covering a wide range of political speech and content online – even videos from people just expressing their opinions without payment or sponsorship,” YouTube said.

“We believe that the new rules on political advertising should only apply to paid-for political content and ads, rather than potentially all political content online. Changing how people find and connect to helpful political content would impact both viewers and creators.”