After having added HDR video support for TVs about a year ago, YouTube HDR is now available on select smartphones, including the Pixel and Samsung’s latest Galaxy devices.
YouTube HDR on mobile
While extremely high resolution has its natural limits relating to screen size and viewing distance, HDR – High Dynamic Range – can improve the viewing experience on any screen size by expanding the luminance range and color gamut.
YouTube is now offering HDR video quality on mobile devices. It requires that the device can decode Google’s VP9 Profile 2, which is why it is currently reserved to Google Pixel, LG V30, Samsung Galaxy S8 and Note 8, and Sony Xperia XZ Premium.
Netflix and Amazon have also started offering HDR quality on mobile devices. For streaming, HDR is implemented independently of resolution, meaning that you will see HDR even if you are streaming a video in SD resolution.
If you own one of the smartphones one the list you should update the YouTube app and play the video below. HDR playback does not work through the browser yet. Depending on your device, you should see a small ‘HDR’ indicator. We can also recommend The HDR Channel.
