Outube: audio quality adjustment arrives, but we will have to pay

Does youtube are about to pass the sound to the checkout? According to recent discoveries of Android Authoritythe platform would prepare a new function: the adjustment of audio quality. Three levels would be offered: normal (the current standard), high (with better speed), and auto (which adapts to connection). On paper, the idea is attractive. In practice, it would only be accessible to premium YouTube subscribers.

YouTube wants to monetize sound quality in his videos

The maneuver is clear: to expand the paid offer to strengthen the attraction of the subscription. After the abolition of advertisements, offline reading or in the background, it is now control of sound which becomes a commercial argument. Until now, the platform has allowed the video quality to be adjusted, but nothing on the audio side. A longtime frustration among music enthusiasts, lovers of immersive content or fans of neat podcasts.

This bend towards a premium sound is part of a heavy trend: that of a YouTube that segments its services. Listening comfort, formerly implicit, becomes a privilege. And even if the technical promise is enticing, it is accompanied by conditions: the function may concern only a limited number of videos, and its date of deployment remains uncertain. For the time being, it only exists in the form of lines of code.

Why this choice now? Because YouTube, who will have recorded a record year 2024, wants its share of the cake in the quality audio market. Between SpotifyApple Music or Tidalthe offer is not lacking in demanding ears. The platform therefore seeks to reposition itself, by capitalizing on its immense library of content and a base of faithful already well hung.

But this logic raises a question: how far will the fragmentation of services go? The freemium model is refined, and YouTube seems determined to monetize everything, including the essentials. We also suspect that the YouTube Premium Lite subscription will not be concerned.

So, is your sound worth € 12.99? Because remember that in France, the priced YouTube prices are as follows:

• Individual subscription: € 12.99 per month.
• Family subscription: € 23.99 per month, allowing to add up to five family members living in the same home.
• Student subscription: € 7.99 per month, subject to providing proof of valid student status.