YouTube now has a new feature that would make it a bit easier for its mobile app users to save on data while watching video on the go.
This feature can be enabled in the App’s video settings. You can now toggle between three different modes that either favor video quality, data use, or whatever works best for your current internet connection.
If you’re a regular App user you must be familiar with the “auto” which is the default mode setting for playing videos. It automatically sets the video’s resolution depending on your current internet speed to give the best experience.
The new video settings give you the option to watch videos in higher-picture quality or data-saving mode. The “higher picture quality” mode uses more data when not on Wi-Fi and defaults to 720p, and the “data saver” mode maxes out at 480p.
Even though these umbrella modes are good when you want to quickly adjust the video resolution in specific scenarios, you can still dig in and get granular with specific resolutions. And any resolution adjustments can be made for the particular video you’re watching or system-wide for everything you watch, with specific behaviours for Wi-Fi and mobile networks.
YouTube has had resolution settings and ways to keep the mobile app from downloading or streaming HD videos for a while, but this makes the data-saving process automatic and reframes it in a way that’s very easy to understand.
Video settings can also be applied system-wide, with separate behaviour for mobile and Wi-fi networks.
In an ideal world, none of this would matter and you could just watch high-resolution cooking videos (for example) to your heart’s content. But even on “unlimited” plans, most mobile carriers still cap video resolution at 480p.
Videos watched at higher resolutions typically count against some kind of premium data allotment or other terrible carrier jargon and hit you where it hurts — in your monthly bill.
YouTube’s new update isn’t a magic bullet solution, but it is easy to switch to a carrier-acceptable resolution without having to think about it.
