Google is seriously boosting the value proposition for YouTube Premium members. This rollout signals a commitment to a cohesive, high-quality experience. The $13.99-per-month subscription mainly offers ad-free viewing and YouTube Music access. However, Google expands several “power-user” features across more devices.
Cross-Platform Playback and Skipping
The ability to adjust video playback speed now works across platforms. This feature was previously restricted to the mobile YouTube app. Now, subscribers can use faster speeds, up to 4x speed, on Android, iOS, and the web. Speeds are adjustable in precise 0.5x increments.
Additionally, Google expands its smart, time-saving features. The popular “Jump Ahead” tool is now more widely available. It uses AI to skip directly to key video moments. Users can access this feature on smart TVs and game consoles, too. Consequently, this makes it easier to bypass long introductions.
Mobile and Audio Enhancements
On the mobile side, two major Shorts features arrive on both iOS and Android. Subscribers can now automatically download recommended Shorts for offline viewing. Furthermore, the platform allows watching Shorts in a picture-in-picture window. This change unifies the mobile experience since Android originally debuted these features.
The updates also include a major improvement for high-fidelity sound. When viewing music videos or “Art Tracks,” subscribers can select the “High” quality audio setting.
This delivers an enhanced audio bitrate of 256 kbps. Crucially, this 256 kbps option, once limited to the YouTube Music app, is now available across the YouTube and YouTube Music apps on Android and iOS, according to the source. Ultimately, these steps improve control and quality for the Premium subscription.