One of the new tvOS 14 features highlighted by Apple was support for watching 4K videos in the YouTube app, but when tvOS 14 launched, Apple TV 4K users quickly noticed that support wasn’t available. Now, that’s changing as the Apple TV YouTube app enables 4K support.
Multiple users have reported seeing 4K playback options in the YouTube app on tvOS 14, tvOS 14.0.1, and tvOS 14.2.
4K support has not yet rolled out to all users, however, as in our tests, we were not able to access 4K YouTube content and continued to have a 1080p limitation. While 4K content appears to be available, those with access are still not able to enable HDR, and 4K videos are limited to 30 frames per second.
MacDailyNews Take: Do you have 4K support in your Apple TV YouTube app, yet?
How about the YoutubeTV app on AppleTV. Shouldn’t 4k be available there first, seeing as it’s their pay subscription service?
I’m wondering if they are limiting it to 30 fps because of the heat generated from software rendering of the VP9 codec used by Google.
I wish the higher fps videos would drop down to 4k 30 fps instead of 1080p but I suppose it saves Google having to encode another layer.
4K @ 30fps is still pretty cool looking. Now that Apple has budged a bit maybe Google will respond in kind.