Plus, Dolby 5.1 surround is rolling out to all subscribers.
YouTube TV is today revealing more details about two anticipated new features: 4K playback and offline downloads. As it turns out, the service will be bundling them together in a new add-on package it’s calling “4K Plus.” There’s no getting one without the other.
4K Plus is available starting ufabet today and will cost an extra $19.99 per month on top of the standard $64.99 YouTube TV subscription.
For now, offline downloads will likely be a bigger deal for many customers than 4K streaming. Outside of select sporting events, there’s still a dearth of 4K content on network and cable TV. (For that reason, some competing services like FuboTV don’t charge extra for 4K streams.)
YouTube really isn’t in any position to solve that dilemma, but it’s promising that 4K Plus subscribers will be able to “watch major sports events this summer in 4K, plus live content from networks like NBC, sports like college football and basketball later this year, and on-demand content from FX, Discovery Networks, Tastemade and more.” You can search for “4K” to see all available 4K programs. YouTube TV is also preparing for the Olympics with new features that will let you quickly jump to specific sports or moments of an event without having to manually scrub through.
Adding 4K Plus to your account also enables “unlimited” concurrent streams for any devices that are on your home Wi-Fi network. YouTube TV usually limits customers to three simultaneous streams, and this will still apply for devices that are outside your home.
DOLBY 5.1 SURROUND IS COMING TO YOUTUBE TV
In welcome news for all YouTube TV customers, the service will also be introducing support for Dolby 5.1 surround sound “soon.” And this doesn’t require any special plan or add-on. YouTube says 5.1 audio has consistently been among the biggest feature requests from subscribers. It’ll be rolling out to “select devices” over the coming weeks. Smart TVs are first on the list, with other platforms to follow in the near future.