YouTube for iOS 14 could play videos at 4K resolution

iOS 14 is currently in beta, and more users of the test program have noticed that the resolutions of the videos on Youtube reach 4k.

Currently, the YouTube app for iOS uses AVC1 (h.264) to encode videos. This codec is limited to 1080p @ 60fps, while the YouTube app for Android uses the proprietary Google codec: VP9.

It is possible that starting with iOS 14, AVC1 will be abandoned in favor of VP9.

Given that Apple has not said anything about the resolution of YouTube videos, it may not be available on all phone models. IOS 14 Beta users who noticed an increase in resolution used phones with OLED screens.

On the Android side, if you install YouTube Vanced, which doesn’t need any rooting and go to Settings -> Vanced Settings -> Video Settings and activate Resolution Checks you can play videos up to 4K on almost any phone with decent specifications.