YOUTUBE users could be forced to pay if they want to carry on using one of the site’s biggest features.
Fans have reported that 4K is set to become a paid option.
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Some users have shared screenshots on Reddit which now labels 2160p (4K resolution) as premium.
It tells people to ‘tap to upgrade’.
YouTube started supporting 4K way back in 2010 and it has been free ever since.
4K videos are more prominent these days, as phones able to record and play in the format have become pretty common.
But for services like YouTube it means having a lot more space in its data centres to store all this bulky video.
With more than 500 hours of content uploaded to the platform every minute, you can imagine the huge amount of data space Google needs, which doesn’t come cheap.
It’s not clear whether 4K will be premium everywhere – or whether it’s just a test.
The Sun has contacted Google for confirmation.
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According to comments on Reddit, not everyone is being asked to pay for 4K right now, so it could be rolled out gradually.
“It’s probably being tested with certain users, seeing how many people get upset, and if it’s worth it to them,” one user guessed.
While most were disgruntled by the apparent move, others have supported it.
“I actually think it makes total sense to lock that behind a paywall,” another commenter said.
“People who care enough to watch videos in such a high quality probably care enough to spend a little money on it…
“YouTube has never been profitable so they gotta make money somehow.”
Premium costs £11.99 / $11.99 per month at present and is mostly used to go ad-free, play music without the screen being on, as well as download content offline.
The development comes after reports that users have started seeing as many as 10 unskippable adverts on YouTube in a single break.
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
