YouTube ends test requiring users to get a premium subscription to watch 4K video • TechCrunch

Earlier this month, YouTube launched an experiment asking some free users to upgrade to a premium account to watch videos in 4K resolution. The company has now ended this test – possibly due to user outcry.

In a tweet, YouTube confirmed the end of the experiment and said, “viewers should now be able to access 4K quality resolutions without a Premium membership.” So all users can now watch higher resolution videos without paying for a subscription.

YouTube ran the comprehension test to gauge user reactions when a particular feature was pushed past the premium tier. IN a now deleted tweetthe company told a user who received a pop-up asking them to upgrade that the user was “part of our experiment to better understand the feature preferences of Premium and non-Premium viewers.”

Google charges $9.99 per month for YouTube Music and $11.99 per month for YouTube premium in the US – these prices vary worldwide. company claims to have more than 50 million paid subscribers in both offers globally. The Premium subscription offers features such as ad-free viewing, video downloads for offline consumption, and background playback.

YouTube tries many ways to convert free users to paid users. Earlier this year, it ran an experiment that showed users up to 11 unskippable ads before starting a long video to let them have a seamless experience. This test was short-lived and the company completed it within days.

Last week, YouTube introduced a new feature called the handle — which is similar to what other social networks like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook offer — that allows creators to drive viewers to their channel with ease.