Youtube 4K not available on tvOS 14

[Tex-Twil]

Hi,
Apparently tvOS and iOS 14 are supposed to support Youtube videos in 4k. I installed tvOS 14 b1 on my apple tv 4k but I still don’t see that option on the Youtube app quality settings. The maximum is still 1080p. The video I tried is

Any tips?

cheers

 

[soy]

Probably needs an update for the YouTube app, don’t expect it to work till september.

 

[Puonti]

Also as I understand it 4k will only work on newer videos from the getgo, as Youtube needs to make the videos available in a specific format. Older 4k videos are not automatically available in it.

 

[Tex-Twil]

According to this video, it should already work on iOS 14 so I thought tvOS 14 would also work.

[automerge]1593955711[/automerge]

Also as I understand it 4k will only work on newer videos from the getgo, as Youtube needs to make the videos available in a specific format. Older 4k videos are not automatically available in it.

ok that could be also be the reason

 

[Blue Hawk]

Doesn’t work on tvOS and iOS here either

 

[Ansath]

Doesn’t work on tvOS and iOS here either

It does work in iOS.... just depends one what device. The video I used is Costa Rica 4K, uploaded 2 years ago, so the comment about only new videos working in 4K is incorrect.

It seems to vary by device, as it works on my iPhone 11 Pro Max, but not my iPad Pro (2018).

 

[matraco]

It does work in iOS.... just depends one what device. The video I used is Costa Rica 4K, uploaded 2 years ago, so the comment about only new videos working in 4K is incorrect.

It seems to vary by device, as it works on my iPhone 11 Pro Max, but not my iPad Pro (2018).

From what i read youtube in 4k only works on devices with HDR displays. I don't understand why all ios 14 compatible devices can't have it.

 

[Ansath]

From what i read youtube in 4k only works on devices with HDR displays. I don't understand why all ios 14 compatible devices can't have it.

That doesn't explain why the iPad Pro doesn't have it, as that supports HDR.

 

[1193001]

That doesn't explain why the iPad Pro doesn't have it, as that supports HDR.

or iphone x that supports hdr, I Call BS on the HDR literally my ipad pro 11 and iphone x can literally render and record 4k videos but can't let me watch even at least 1440p content on youtube lol. My galaxy s5 in the past let me watch up to 4k just with a modified youtube app lol

 

[matraco]

That doesn't explain why the iPad Pro doesn't have it, as that supports HDR.

Then i don't understand why only the xs and pro models are showing it.

or iphone x that supports hdr, I Call BS on the HDR literally my ipad pro 11 and iphone x can literally render and record 4k videos but can't let me watch even at least 1440p content on youtube lol. My galaxy s5 in the past let me watch up to 4k just with a modified youtube app lol

It is ridiculous.

 

[frumpsnake]

Can confirm that while Apple TV is still 1080p, Youtube plays 2160p60 HDR videos on my iPhone 11 Pro running iOS14b2, and that it uses the VP9 codec to do so (which is the baseline codec for all 1440p/4K/8K clips on Youtube, not just some of them).

And yes for some reason 4K SDR clips get no love whatsoever and still max out at 1080p.

 

[Puonti]

It does work in iOS.... just depends one what device. The video I used is Costa Rica 4K, uploaded 2 years ago, so the comment about only new videos working in 4K is incorrect.

It seems to vary by device, as it works on my iPhone 11 Pro Max, but not my iPad Pro (2018).

Yeah, looks like it's something else. The understanding I posted earlier, that Youtube is supporting a new codec for this and needs to re-encode older videos, was incorrect.

 

[matrix07]

Anyone has the latest iPad Air and can play YouTube in 4K? I can’t.
Max at only 1080p (not even 1440p).

 

[LFC2020]

Anyone has the latest iPad Air and can play YouTube in 4K? I can’t.
Max at only 1080p (not even 1440p).

4k is a bit hit and miss at the moment, only found one video on youtube that works on my iPhone.

Heard a few people say 4K YouTube doesn’t work on the iPad at the moment.

 

[matrix07]

Heard a few people say 4K YouTube doesn’t work on the iPad at the moment.

Oh 😳

I’ll keep an eye on it then. Thanks for the information.

 

[viettanium]

the latest update for YouTube on tvOS is from March 2020, please wait for next update

 

[Ansath]

Anyone has the latest iPad Air and can play YouTube in 4K? I can’t.
Max at only 1080p (not even 1440p).

It's not working on my iPad Pro. Looks like we're awaiting YouTube to update their app, probably. Basically, for now, if you can see the option on the Costa Rica 4K video most of use were using to test, on your device, then there you go, if not, then you're just going to have to wait and check anytime the YouTube app is updated.

 

[matrix07]

It's not working on my iPad Pro. Looks like we're awaiting YouTube to update their app, probably. Basically, for now, if you can see the option on the Costa Rica 4K video most of use were using to test, on your device, then there you go, if not, then you're just going to have to wait and check anytime the YouTube app is updated.

But they said iOS (and supposedgy iPadOS) 14 supported VC1 and VP9 so your iPad Pro should be able to play 4K already. I just don’t understand this.. why we need update since some people on iPhone can play it.

 

[LFC2020]

But they said iOS (and supposedgy iPadOS) 14 supported VC1 and VP9 so your iPad Pro should be able to play 4K already. I just don’t understand this.. why we need update since some people on iPhone can play it.

YouTube app got a update today in the App Store, most videos are still 1080p.

 

[matrix07]

YouTube app got a update today in the App Store, most videos are still 1080p.

Yeah, support for VC1 and VP9 is on OS system in iOS 14. Shouldn’t need YouTube update.

 

[Ansath]

Yeah, support for VC1 and VP9 is on OS system in iOS 14. Shouldn’t need YouTube update.

Just because the system now supports it, doesn't mean the app will suddenly universally support it. iOS 14 now supports PiP on iPhone, but the YT app doesn't suddenly start working with PiP.

The fact that it works with 4K on some iOS devices, but not others indicates there's a problem with the YT, which means Google have to update it to support it fully.

The YT update today hasn't changed anything for my iPad Pro, where the Costa Rica 4K video that I can change to 4K on the app on my iPhone 11 Pro Max, is still limited to 1080p on my iPad Pro.

 

[matrix07]

iOS 14 now supports PiP on iPhone, but the YT app doesn't suddenly start working with PiP.

That’s different isn’t it? We all know we can’t play YouTube 4K because Apple had never supported VP9 which used to encoded 4K on YouTube so now when it’s supported it should be automatic. No need of any action on YouTube part. They’re already there, from the beginning.
This is like when Apple support playing flac on Files you don’t need to encode your flac file again. No action on your part needed. It will be just play because it’s already flac file.
At the very least we should be able to access YouTube 4K on Safari, if the support for VP9 on iOS is universal.

 

[Nikhil72]

It’s all likely A/B testing. My TV doesn’t have it. My iPhone 11 Pro Max logged into my YT account has 4K for HDR content. My iPad Pro 12.9 2020 has 4K for all content, SDR and HDR, but only if logged OUT of YT.

 

[Ansath]

That’s different isn’t it? We all know we can’t play YouTube 4K because Apple had never supported VP9 which used to encoded 4K on YouTube so now when it’s supported it should be automatic. No need of any action on YouTube part. They’re already there, from the beginning.
This is like when Apple support playing flac on Files you don’t need to encode your flac file again. No action on your part needed. It will be just play because it’s already flac file.
At the very least we should be able to access YouTube 4K on Safari, if the support for VP9 on iOS is universal.

The fact that the YouTube app is showing that the same video is 4K on some devices, but not other, clearly shows there is a bug with the YouTube app, ergo the app needs updating for it to clearly support devices that should be able to run videos in 4K. How can you not see that?

As for YouTube via Safari, again, that’s down to YouTube to update their site, as it clearly either has a restriction build in as to what it will support, or what codec it’s kicking out.

 

[matrix07]

It’s all likely A/B testing. My TV doesn’t have it. My iPhone 11 Pro Max logged into my YT account has 4K for HDR content. My iPad Pro 12.9 2020 has 4K for all content, SDR and HDR, but only if logged OUT of YT.

That is interesting.