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YouTube Premium adding iOS SharePlay support, mobile Queue, 1080p enhanced bitrate, and more 

For years, YouTube Premium has centered around removing ads, background playback (Picture-in-Picture), and offline downloads. YouTube is now expanding what perks are offered with a Premium subscription.


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Today, Google Meet Live Sharing lets Android users watch YouTube videos together. A similar capability will be available for FaceTime on iOS with YouTube Premium adding SharePlay support over the coming weeks. Apple announced this capability with iOS 15.1+, and it’s already found on a handful of apps.

Meanwhile, YouTube on iOS will be the first to get an enhanced bitrate version of 1080p HD quality. Google says this makes videos “extra crisp and clear.” This especially benefits videos “with lots of detail and motion.” “1080p Premium” is rolling out over the “coming weeks” and is coming next to the web as an experiment. Google is looking to bring it to Android in the future.

Whether you’re an avid sports fan or locked in on the latest gaming videos, this new feature will bring an even deeper visual quality to our members!

There will be no changes to the existing 1080p quality for all other (free) users.

Starting today, YouTube Premium users on phones and tablets will benefit from the ability to Queue videos. This entered testing late last year and joins the existing web capability.

YouTube is bringing “Continue watching” prompts to more form factors. If you start a video on your phone but don’t finish, the next time you open youtube.com, there will be a prompt in the bottom-right corner to continue. This is now available on Android, iOS, and the web for signed-in Premium subscribers.

Lastly, YouTube is making official Smart Downloads that automatically store recommended videos for offline viewing.

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com