YouTube will let you choose the audio bitrate regardless of video quality

Android Authority has discovered in the code of the latest beta version of YouTube a mention of testing a new feature that will allow users to independently adjust the sound quality.

In the entire existence of the platform, such an opportunity has never been there. However, now YouTube may change this approach. According to Android Authority, Google is working on a new option that will operate separately from the video quality settings.

Currently, the sound quality of videos depends solely on the source content and processing on the YouTube side, without the possibility of user adjustment. However, lines of code found in the beta version of the application indicate the appearance of user-controlled audio bitrate settings. This means that in the future, viewers will be able to choose between several audio quality options.

It is assumed that three modes will be available:

• Automatic – adjusts the quality depending on the speed of the Internet connection.
• Normal – the standard quality level, which corresponds to the current Opus format 128kbps.
• High – an increased bitrate, which provides clearer sound.

So far, YouTube has not given official comments on this matter. It is expected that the new feature will first become available to YouTube Premium subscribers, and may later appear in the free version of the service.

Google has launched a new YouTube Premium Lite plan, which is a cheaper version of the paid subscription with limited features. Currently, the plan is only available in the US and costs $7.99 per month. It will also be offered in Thailand, Germany and Australia in the near future.

YouTube Premium Lite allows you to watch videos and listen to podcasts without ads, but the subscription does not include YouTube Music. In addition, users of the new plan will not be able to download videos to their devices or run them in the background – for these features, you need to purchase a standard Premium subscription.

Interestingly, despite the name and description, YouTube Premium Lite does not guarantee a complete absence of ads. They may appear while listening to music, watching Shorts videos or YouTube feeds.