A new rumor has started to spread regarding how Google could make its users have to pay if they want to watch 4K videos on YouTube. The resolution could be locked behind a YouTube Premium paywall.

Google Could Lock the 4K Resolution Option Behind a YouTube Premium Paywall

According to the story by Tech Worm, Google has long been trying to get more people on board with its YouTube Premium option. The article notes that so far, the tactics by Google are not working.

Google has long been trying to attract more subscribers by removing ads, allowing the videos to play in the background, or even offering YouTube music for free. So far, however, this tactic has not worked to its full capacity as a lot of users are still not subscribed to Premium.

The Option Could be Hidden Behind a 'Premium. Tap to Upgrade' Option

The article notes that they got the information from a trustworthy source sharing that YouTube could make 4K video streaming exclusive to subscribers of YouTube Premium. A screenshot was shared with the 2160p option locked behind a text that said "Premium. Tap to upgrade."

This could suggest that Google will be blocking the resolution option for regular users. This means that the company wants the high-resolution options to be accessible only to those that subscribe to YouTube Premium.

Google has Not Given an Official Statement Regarding This Feature

The screenshots were provided by a certain user by the name of u/Ihatesmokealarms on Reddit, which showed how the resolution option was locked behind the Premium option. Other users within the thread shared that they had a similar experience and that they found a "Tap to upgrade" link on their devices as well.

Google, however, has not given any official statement regarding whether they will really be blocking the higher resolution options behind a paywall and making them only accessible for Premium subscribers and not regular subscribers.

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Other Higher Resolutions Could be Locked Behind YouTube Premium As Well

The article by Tech Worm notes that so far, it could be that YouTube is still testing out this feature. This means that if the platform sees that this feature works without a hiccup, it could then launch it to a wider audience.

Tech Worm notes that clearly, users will not be happy with the decision of Google to block higher resolution options behind a paywall. This is because these options were long being offered to regular users who did not have to pay for a premium subscription in order for the resolutions to be unlocked.

As per Google support, YouTube is capable of up to 8K resolution or 7680p, which is something that could be locked up behind a paywall as well. Should the 4K resolution option be available only to paying users, the 8K resolution option could be locked behind a paywall as well.

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This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Urian B.