YouTube is rolling out a major update for its smart TV app that uses AI to automatically upscale lower-resolution videos, alongside interface changes that mirror streaming services like Netflix.
The headline feature, Super Resolution, uses AI to automatically upscale videos to higher resolutions.
Videos originally uploaded in 480p will be increased to 1080p, reducing pixelation on large screens.
The feature currently applies to videos in 1080p or lower (240p, 480p, 720p), with 4K upscaling support planned for the future.
Creators can disable the feature entirely for their content.
Viewers can identify AI-upscaled resolutions marked as “Super Resolution” in quality settings and switch to original quality if preferred.
YouTube is adding automatic video previews to the TV app homepage for frequently watched or recommended channels, similar to Netflix’s interface.
“Viewers will be able to see and flip through their favourite YouTube channels with immersive previews on the homepage, enhancing content discovery and engagement,” said Kurt Wilms, senior director of product management for YouTube on TV.
“Contextual search on TVs” makes the search feature more intelligent with better-tailored results.
When searching from a creator’s channel page, results from that channel appear first before other YouTube content, simplifying video discovery.
YouTube is increasing the thumbnail size limit from 2MB to 50MB, allowing creators to upload higher-quality thumbnails that will improve appearance on TV screens over time.
Future updates will add shopping capabilities including QR code scanning on TVs to open product pages and creator ability to feature products at specific timed moments within videos.
While Super Resolution aims to improve clarity of older videos, concerns exist about AI upscaling potentially causing over-smoothing or affecting the aesthetic quality of vintage content.
The lower resolution quality of older videos provides historical context that some viewers appreciate.
YouTube has not specified rollout timing or geographic availability for these features.
The updates will apply to YouTube’s smart TV app across compatible devices.
YouTube Premium costs $13.99 monthly for individual plans, though these new features appear to be available to all YouTube users on smart TVs regardless of subscription status.
