Streaming in the time of Covid-19: YouTube follows Netflix, limits quality to SD for beating bandwidth stress

Move over, HD. It’s back to SD - or Standard Definition for YouTube users across the world. Videos on the global platform will now play in the default standard definition template for all users across latitudes and geographies.
The move comes as an effort to ease the burden on internet infrastructure as countries grapple with lockdowns and other emergency policies in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic outbreak has led to millions being cooped up at home, and using the Internet more than ever: for work, utility, and entertainment that includes watching streaming TV (and most bingeing on it).

Last week, Google had announced that it was temporarily defaulting all videos on YouTube to standard definition in the EU.

However, on Wednesday, that change has been incorporated universally, even as an official statement from Google said that the tech major will ‘continue to work closely with governments and network operators to do our part to minimise stress on the system during this unprecedented situation.

“Given the global nature of this crisis, we will expand that change globally starting today,” a Google statement said.

By default, videos will start playing in standard definition (480p) quality. Those who want to watch videos in HD can still do so, but they must manually select that option, and this stays in effect until April 14, the statement added.

Earlier, Netflix, too, decided to lower video quality in India for the next month to reduce traffic on mobile and broadband networks. The move comes in the wake of increased need for Internet services, with more people at home due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.