Safari not able to play new 4K videos from YouTube homepage, likely due to VP9 shift

What appears to be Google's shift to the VP9 codec for delivering 4K video on the YouTube homepage is preventing Safari users from watching videos uploaded to the service since early December in full 4K resolution, but not from viewing webpage-embedded videos in the same resolution.

The shift appears to have taken place on Dec. 6, according to a Reddit thread delving into the issue. Google has been pushing the open and royalty-free VP9 codec as an alternative to the paid H.265 spec since 2014, but has never said that it would stop offering 4K video on the YouTube site in other formats, like the Apple-preferred H.264.

Videos uploaded to the service prior to Dec. 6 in 4K resolution can still play back in full 4K resolution on Safari from the YouTube homepage. Additionally, Mac users utilizing Chrome still have the ability to play back new videos in 4K, as Safari is the only holdout among the major browsers that doesn't support the codec.

However, further confusing the issue, a new video embedded in a webpage such as the 4K video of the Apple Campus flyover from Wednesday, can still be played back in the embed in 4K. Shifting to the YouTube homepage to view the video reverts to a maximum 1440p resolution.

Apple Campus drone flyover, uploaded January 12, note lack of 4K option on YouTube homepage

4K video of Apple Campus posted in October, note 4K option on YouTube homepage

The issue manifests on all Apple hardware, regardless of OS revision, or Safari version. Specific platforms tested by AppleInsider include a 2012 Retina MacBook Pro, a 2016 Retina MacBook Pro, and a Mac Pro with 4K display.

"We haven't supported VP9 in Safari," we were told by a representative from Apple corporate. "[Google] has seemingly made a conscious decision to not stream H.264 4K video to Apple users from the YouTube homepage, when it clearly could if it chose to."

We have reached out to Google regarding the matter, and have yet to receive a response.

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42 Comments

rotateleftbyte 1630 comments · 12 Years

About 7 years ago

So Google is saying, we are better at this stuff than you so fall into line and use the VP9 codec.
Get on message Apple.

AFAIK, VP9 is Open and royalty free
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VP9

so why can't Apple adopt it? Pride?

boredumb 1418 comments · 14 Years

Golly!
Something limiting or disappointing about Safari???
I'm shocked!
/s

entropys 4302 comments · 13 Years

I thought google had given up on VP9? Seems not. Nice strategy. Aim for dominance in a niche that could become mainstream in the future.

Google's play with VP9 is only possible because certain hardware makers have not yet invested in H.265.

bartfat 434 comments · 15 Years

rotateleftbyte said:

AFAIK, VP9 is Open and royalty free
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VP9

so why can't Apple adopt it? Pride?

Mainly because VP9 isn't implemented by any hardware acceleration chips. Apple likes to keep things as efficient as possible, but VP9 is basically an end-run around the H.264/H.265 patents (there would be no point to VP9 if H.265 was patent and royalty free). Nonetheless, the other issue that remains is that it could have patents asserted against it, but currently does not, much like H.264 and H.265 could also, but they're less susceptible, since the consortium bears the cost of defending against patent trolls.

Soli 9981 comments · 9 Years

rotateleftbyte said:

So Google is saying, we are better at this stuff than you so fall into line and use the VP9 codec.
Get on message Apple.

AFAIK, VP9 is Open and royalty free
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VP9

so why can't Apple adopt it? Pride?

Is that a serious post? I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or clueless about the legal pitfalls and performance issues with these so-called "open" codecs.