YouTube is ramping up its advertising and Premium subscription offerings, recently introducing Premium Lite for $7.99. Now, they are testing a new feature that allows users to control video audio quality, albeit with some limitations.
Android Authority discovered code in the latest YouTube Beta app indicating that users may soon be able to select audio quality from three presets: Auto, Normal, and High.
- Auto adjusts audio quality based on your internet connection.
- Normal provides standard 128kbps variable bitrate audio at 48kHz.
- High offers a higher bitrate experience, similar to the High bitrate option available only to YouTube Premium subscribers.
Currently, YouTube plays videos at a standard 128kbps bitrate regardless of resolution, which compromises audio quality. This new feature could address that issue.
However, the code suggests that this audio quality feature might be exclusive to YouTube Premium subscribers, who often get early access to new features. While it’s exciting to see an option for better audio quality, it’s disappointing that non-subscribers may miss out.
