A Future Version of YouTube for Android Could Allow Users to Select Default Video Streaming Quality

• A leak has revealed that a future YouTube for Android update could give users the ability to set a default video streaming quality.
• However, this feature may not make its way until the COVID-19 outbreak has subsided given that companies are looking to save bandwidth in whatever way possible.
• Currently, videos on YouTube are streamed at 480p instead of 720p to save bandwidth during the global pandemic.

YouTube is certainly one of the most used streaming services in the world, while T-Mobile recently announced that it will offer two months of free YouTube Premium to its subscribers who stay at home amidst the coronavirus outbreak. Verizon too joined the list by offering 15GB of additional data for free to its customers. Well, a new leaked version of YouTube for Android is now shedding light on some of the features that could make its way to future iterations of the app.

Prominent among these is the ability to set a default streaming speed for your videos. As you probably guessed, this feature won’t be available until the coronavirus outbreak has subsided as video streaming platforms are currently struggling to keep up with data demands, while some regions are even seeing a reduction in bandwidth. Recently, Disney+ announced that it will launch in Europe with a 25% bandwidth reduction which could affect 4K streaming in some cases.

The YouTube app with the ability to set a default streaming quality was spotted having an APK version 15.12.33. It is also worth mentioning that all the features mentioned in the changelog have a BETA tag next to them, which means they’re not quite ready to roll out yet. For those unaware, Google has currently reset default streaming speeds for YouTube across the board to 480p while it was previously HD or 720p.

If you’re currently facing lag or a slowed down data network, well, you’re not alone. Some AT&T users have been complaining about trouble getting messages across on group texts and MMS.

Source: XDA Developers

Via: GSM Arena