As you probably know, YouTube Premium was originally launched with one big draw: access to original YouTube productions like Cobra Kai.
But, since YouTube’s plans to become a Netflix contender fizzled, it’s been searching for ways to make the $11.99/month cost of YouTube Premium worth it for current subscribers, and more appealing for non-subscribers. Premium’s biggest plus by far is ad-free viewing, and there’s also background play and access to the YouTube Music library. Other than those features, though, Premium doesn’t offer too much.
Until now?
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In a new company blog post, YouTube announced it’s adding five more features to Premium.
First, it’s letting YouTube Premium subscribers queue videos on their phones and tablets–meaning they can pick exactly which video is going to play after the one they’re currently watching. There doesn’t seem to be a limit to queueing, so subscribers can build a virtually endless, custom playlist of videos they want to watch next.
Next, it’s getting in on the co-watching craze by letting YouTube Premium users host Google Meets where all participants watch YouTube videos together. Participants can all view the same videos (presumably without ads) “regardless of whether they are Premium or free users,” YouTube says.
It adds that for now, this feature is only available to Android users, but “in the coming weeks” it’s rolling this out for iOS users via FaceTime with SharePlay.
The third feature: a continue watching tool, where Premium subscribers can pick up where they left off in YouTube videos across iOS, Android, and web devices. So, someone could start a podcast episode (which was YouTube’s example; clearly it’s still keen on podcasts) on their iPad at home, then switch to their Android phone in the car, then log on to their desktop at work, and pick up in that episode seamlessly from device to device.
YouTube’s also adding Smart Downloads, where, “while you’re connected to Wi-Fi, we automatically add recommended videos straight to your library, ready for offline viewing,” it says. These videos are downloaded in full and temporarily stored on users’ phones/tablets so if they’re ever unable to access the internet, they have things to watch.
Last up, YouTube plans to launch an “enhanced bitrate version” of 1080p HD video–a version that’ll make things look “extra crisp and clear, especially for videos with lots of detail and motion,” it says.
That’s arriving on iOS for Premium users in the coming weeks, with a test planned for the web “soon,” per YouTube.
