YouTube Premium rolls out new experimental features, including 256kbps audio & PiP for iOS

YouTube Premium is rolling out a variety of new experimental features that premium users can access simultaneously via youtube.com/new. Updates include high-quality 256kbps audio for music videos, offering improved clarity and depth. iOS users can now enjoy Picture-in-Picture support for YouTube Shorts, while Smart Downloads automatically saves recommended Shorts for offline viewing.

THe "Jump ahead" feature, previously mobile-exclusive, is now accessible on web browsers, allowing users to jump right to the most-watched part of a video. Mobile users will also soon be able to adjust playback speeds up to 4x.

In the US, a bundled offer with YouTube Premium and Google One provides 2 TB of cloud storage and additional perks. Android users in the UK and Ireland will gain access to the Ask Music feature, which creates personalized radio stations based on user preferences. iOS users can anticipate a Conversational AI feature that offers video-related suggestions without interrupting playback.