YouTube will soon get support for SharePlay, as well as videos with higher bitrates. And queuing up videos and jumping between devices will get easier, too.
The enhancements are part of Google efforts to get more subscribers for YouTube Premium.
SharePlay coming to YouTube Premium
SharePlay, which debuted in 2021 for iPhone, iPad and Mac, gives users the ability to stream movies, TV shows, music and more together with their friends. It works over FaceTime and syncs media playback while adding shared controls.
Support for the feature is coming to YouTube Premium. After announcing support for Meet Live Sharing on Android, the YouTube Official Blog said, “We’re also rolling out this experience for FaceTime users on iOS via SharePlay. No matter where your friends and family are, you can experience the joy of YouTube together.”
The feature will launch ‘in the coming weeks,” said Google.
Higher video quality for iPhone and iPad
YouTube videos will soon offer higher bitrates. It’s a feature coming first to iPhone and iPad, but support will expand.
“To provide an even higher video quality experience for our Premium members, in the coming weeks we’ll be launching an enhanced bitrate version of 1080p HD video quality starting on iOS,” said Google. “This enhanced 1080p quality setting will look extra crisp and clear, especially for videos with lots of detail and motion.”
This is a another feature scheduled to debut “in the coming weeks.”
Get in the queue
Google is making it easier to create a queue of videos on YouTube.
“For Premium members, we’re expanding queuing to phones and tablets, giving you complete control over what you’re watching,” says the company blog.
The feature is available now, and Google created a video showing iPhone and iPad owners how to use it.
Better cross-device watching
YouTube is making it easier to move between computers while watching a video.
“Now available on Android, iOS and Web, Premium members can continue watching YouTube videos wherever they previously left off even as they switch between devices, allowing you to jump back in without a single interruption,” promises the YouTube blog.
