YouTube Could Limit 4K Videos To Premium Subscribers In The Future

Over the past few months, YouTube has been experimenting with up to five unskippable ads at the beginning of videos. The video platform recently concluded its experiments, and now, it appears that YouTube is restricting 4K videos to Premium subscribers only.

In what appears to be a move to bring in more revenue, some users spotted that YouTube videos with the 2160p resolution option displayed text that reads, “Premium – Tap to upgrade.” This means that users will need to buy YouTube’s Premium subscription plan to watch videos in 4K.

As of now, this appears to be a test and YouTube has asked users to provide feedback on the video restrictions. There’s no word when the 4K restriction will be widely implemented.

As for the pricing, the YouTube Premium plan for a single user costs ₹129 per month. On the other hand, the family plan, which allows the addition of up to six members, is priced at ₹189 per month. A YouTube Premium subscription lets users watch ad-free YouTube videos. It also provides access to YouTube Music, YouTube Gaming, and YouTube Kids apps. YouTube Premium subscribers have the option to save videos to their device for offline playback. It also allows users to play audio in the background.

However, these features haven’t convinced many users to hand over their money to YouTube. The popular video platform was reported to have amassed around 2.24 billion global users in 2021. A sparse 50 million of these users included Premium and Music subscribers. The company may be trying to increase its revenue by making 4K videos a “Premium” feature.

Do you pay for a YouTube Premium subscription? Let us know if it’s worth it in the comments section below!