Why Apple TV +, YouTube, and Other Services Dropped Video Quality
When the service with movies and TV shows Apple TV + was launched, one of its advantages was the high quality of the picture - in particular, 4K HDR, which allows you to see even the smallest details. Now, when many are on self-isolation, such services have become even more in demand. Last weekend, I also decided to watch something on Apple TV + again, especially since the new movie “Banker” was just released, in which Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackey starred. However, I was surprised to find that I could not enjoy watching a movie in high quality.
Why video quality has fallen
It turned out that Apple has reduced the quality of the transmitted picture in Apple TV + for users throughout Europe, and perhaps this will soon affect the United States and other countries. The thing is that European officials have instructed streaming services like YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime and Apple TV + to reduce the bandwidth that their servers use to reduce the load on the network. Content views on such services have grown significantly in recent weeks after the WHO announcement of the coronavirus pandemic. Naturally, when people are isolated, they tend to watch TV much more often than usual.
Currently, users may experience a significant decrease in picture quality in movies and TV shows on Apple TV +. 9to5Mac suggested that Apple seems to have limited the vertical resolution of the video stream to 670 pixels. For comparison - 4K resolution should be 3840 horizontally and 2160 vertically.
In addition to lower resolution, the image seems highly compressed with explicit “block” artifacts.
Poor quality differs significantly from the detailed 4K HDR content commonly used in the Apple TV + service.
It turned out that Apple has reduced the quality of the transmitted picture in Apple TV + for users throughout Europe, and perhaps this will soon affect the United States and other countries. The thing is that European officials have instructed streaming services like YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime and Apple TV + to reduce the bandwidth that their servers use to reduce the load on the network. Content views on such services have grown significantly in recent weeks after the WHO announcement of the coronavirus pandemic. Naturally, when people are isolated, they tend to watch TV much more often than usual.
When Apple TV + Returns High Quality
Users of services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime also report a decline in quality in movies and TV shows, but Apple’s chosen streaming restriction looks particularly aggressive. Amazon Prime and Netflix seem to still provide high-definition video (at least Full HD), while the picture on Apple TV + is similar to what you usually see when watching videos on slow mobile Internet over 3G.
Apple may improve quality in the coming days and weeks as broadband Internet service providers adjust to new user trends. Netflix executives have already told BBC News that so far they plan to limit the quality to only 30 days:
Given the emergency problems associated with coronavirus, Netflix decided to start reducing video quality in Europe within 30 days, the company said
Obviously, you can tolerate a little and not watch the video in 4K, because the decline in quality in streaming services is nothing compared to what people in Italy, Spain and other countries have to experience right now, where coronavirus spreads at an incredible speed.
Subscribing to services will not get cheaper
True, the services themselves could go to meet their users. Some Netflix customers have complained that they are paying for a tariff that supports 4K HQ resolution, but now they cannot use it. Users urge Netflix to temporarily lower prices until the service begins to transfer streams of full quality again. Apple is not concerned, as Apple TV + does not offer several tariff plans and, therefore, does not charge an additional fee for access to content in 4K.
What will happen to Apple TV +
Apple took a big risk when it entered the film and television series, and now that the company is introducing a restriction on the quality of its content, this can only aggravate the situation of Apple TV +
The company also froze not only the filming of the series, which were supposed to be released in the distant future, but also stopped the post-production of already shot films, extended for the second season. In particular, we are talking about the "Morning Show", "See", "For the sake of all mankind" and "House with a maid." These series went pretty well to users who are now waiting for the continuation to appear on the Apple TV +, but now, apparently, they will have to wait even longer.
Without a lot of content and high quality, users simply will not pay for registration in the service. You would not subscribe to such a service if there were three shows and 20 films in SD - there must be a certain level of content before the whole undertaking becomes viable. Roughly speaking, this is "burning cash." Although Apple has enough of them. Anyway, bye.
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