Google introduces new features for YouTube Premium members

(Image: Unsplash)

Google has added new features that will allow YouTube Premium subscribers to watch videos with free members, on both iOS and Android, through Google Meet sessions, smart offline downloads and more.

The first of the new features is advanced Queuing on Android smartphones and tablets, which allows subscribers to manually control the video YouTube will play next by adding it to a queue, similar to a playlist.

Also Read | South Korea fines Google $32 million for squeezing out rival

You can queue in two ways, either look for the video, click on the ':' icon and select 'Add to queue' or you can hover over the video you want to play next and select 'Add to queue'.

You do not need to stop the video you are watching to do this. When you type in the search box to look for the next video, YouTube will automatically shrink the video you are watching into one corner, allowing you to do both.

With Google Meet Live Sharing, Premium members can host Meet sessions where free and Premium members can watch videos together. In the coming weeks, Google says this feature will be added to iOS, which will let iPhone users do the same using Apple's FaceTime via SharePlay.

Premium users will be able to continue watching videos where they left off between multiple devices. For example - if you began watching on your PC, you can seamlessly continue on your phone or tablet, and vice versa.

Also Read | Google wants you to never overpay for a flight again

Smart Downloads will now, "automatically add recommended videos straight to your library", and you can view these offline. This feature will only work when connected to a Wi-Fi network.

Google will also launch an enhanced bitrate versions for 1080p HD videos on iOS to start. While all users, free and Premium, will have access to 1080p videos, Premium members will be get an enhanced version of the 1080p stream, which, Google says, "will look extra crisp and clear, especially for videos with lots of detail and motion".