YouTube Upgrades Premium Service with 5 New Features

YouTube just announced five new features that give pro users more control and access over their viewing experience.  

In the newest update, the streaming platform allows premium subscribers to queue videos in their tablet and phone – a feature that was previously only available in YouTube for desktop.  

Pro users can now also host streaming parties via Google Meet where all members, including non-premium users, can watch YouTube videos together. While the feature is only available to Android users for now, YouTube plans to roll it out for Facetime users on iOS in the coming weeks. 

YouTube is also introducing Smart Downloads, where the streaming app automatically adds recommended videos into a premium user’s library, ready for viewing even when they go offline.  

Another feature gives users the ability to switch between devices, where they can continue watching YouTube videos where they left off in their last used device, so as long as they’re logged into their premium account. 

Lastly, the streaming giant is upgrading the video quality of those with premium subscriptions, giving them an “enhanced bitrate version” of the 1080p HD option, available on iOS for now.  

“This enhanced 1080p quality setting will look extra crisp and clear, especially for videos with lots of detail and motion,” the company described. YouTube also reinstated that 1080p will still be available to all users even to non-premium subscribers, as the “enhanced” 1080p will be an upgrade of that.  

YouTube Premium is available at $11.99 a month after a one-month free trial, or $119.99 for a whole year.