Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Tops List of YouTube Signature Devices
The Samsung Galaxy Note 9, introduced today at an event in Brooklyn, is at the top of YouTube's list of "signature devices" which will deliver the best experience on the video site. The list itself is new, and contains 18 phones from Samsung, Sony, HTC, OnePlus, LG, and other device makers.
Here's how YouTube describes its selection criteria:
"To qualify as a Signature Device, a phone must support high dynamic range, high frame rate, reliable DRM performance, 4K decoding, and use next generation video codecs. We’ve worked with manufacturers to verify these devices meet or exceed our performance expectations."
"Next generation codecs" means VP9, and Apple's lack of support for the Google-created codec keeps all iPhones off the list. YouTube's site explains that signature devices offer VP9 profile 2 decoding, allowing them to use 30 percent less bandwidth when streaming high resolution YouTube video.
YouTube says it will publish updated criteria yearly for what is required to offer a best-in-class YouTube experience, and it offers to collaborate with qualified makes to help their phones pass the testing criteria.
Will this list prove influential enough that shoppers turn away from iPhones in order to use less bandwidth while streaming from YouTube? It seems unlikely, but remains to be seen.
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