This, for example, is devoted to a separate thread on Reddit and posts on Twitter. Individual users who noticed the update on their devices are posting screenshots.

what is known

As you can see from the images, you can pay to watch the videos in 4K, ie 2160p. When selecting the resolution options, the “Premium” sign is displayed next to the corresponding item, and the application immediately offers to click to subscribe.

“After testing 12 ads on YouTube for non-premium users, some users are reporting that they now need to sign up for a premium account just to watch 4K videos”– A user named Alvin writes on Twitter.

Similar situations have been seen in iOS and Android applications.

User response

Users reacted very sharply to the potential innovation. Some joke that “in a few years, YouTube will say that ad revenue is not enough because too many people subscribe to Premium and it will start bringing ads to YouTube Premium”, while others say they will basically continue to watch without a subscription. There are also those who threaten to never use the service again.

It should be noted that not everyone needs such high quality. First of all, videos of this resolution are extremely rare. Also, 1440p and 1080p will remain free, which is a very good quality that provides high definition images but doesn’t consume as much resources as 4K. Therefore, users are unlikely to lose much.

Presumably, this is how Google tries to understand the audience’s reaction to make a decision on transitioning to a new format.

The company has not yet made an official statement on this matter.