You can now stream faster & buffer free videos on YouTube thanks to the new VP9 codec

Display resolution has been increased since the last year and the latest in the trend is 4k. The amount of 4K video uploaded to YouTube has more than tripled in the past year. But streaming that takes a lot of bandwidth and if you have a poor internet connection you're stuck with 720p.

This is why YouTube started encoding videos in VP9, an the open-source codec that brings HD and even UHD quality at half the bandwidth as used by other codecs. This is currently most advanced video compression codec and has been implemented for quite a time now to test the speeds. On an average 25 billion hours of VP9 video has been watched in VP9.

This codec compresses the raw camera data which is huge and makes it easier to stream using low bandwidth. That means that if your Internet connection used to only play up to 480p without buffering on YouTube, it can now play silky smooth 720p with VP9. VP9 is essential for uninterrupted 4k streaming this will allow people to enjoy great quality videos without spending to double your internet speeds.

VP9 decoding is available today in the Chrome web browser, in Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy S6, and in TVs and game consoles from Sony, LG, Sharp, and more. More than 20 device partners across the industry are launching products in 2015 and beyond using VP9.