YouTube, which lets users watch a wide range of videos in multiple resolutions, had been testing a feature that required a Premium account to watch videos in 4K resolution. Following backlash from users, YouTube has now ended this experiment.
The YouTube Team also tweeted: “We’ve fully turned off this experiment. Viewers should now be able to access 4K quality resolutions without Premium membership.”
we’ve fully turned off this experiment. viewers should now be able to access 4K quality resolutions without Premium membership. we’re here if you have other q’s
— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) October 17, 2022
YouTube currently charges $9.99 a month for YouTube Music and $11.99 a month for YouTube Premium, though prices vary by country. YouTube has also reported having more than 50 million paid subscribers worldwide. A Premium subscription lets users watch videos ad-free, and also includes background play functionality.
YouTube regularly runs a variety of experiments and uses multiple approaches to try to convert free viewers into paying subscribers. These experiments, however, tend to get rolled back within just a few days of testing.