Anyone who watches videos on YouTube knows that it is not possible to set a default quality for all videos. The only possible option is to adjust it on a case-by-case basis. It just so happens that YouTube is preparing a setting that will be valid for all content.
Change has been spotted by Jane Manchun Wong in the new version of the YouTube app on Android. The user can make the settings when he is connected to his mobile operator’s network and the settings when he is connected via Wi-Fi. Three options are available: automatic, better image quality and data saver. It is not possible to set 480p, 720p, 1080p or more, but we suspect that the second setting is equivalent to 1080p or more for example, where the third will be 360p or 480p. As for the first setting, it allows you to adjust the quality according to the quality of the Internet connection.
These new settings are hidden for now and users cannot access them. It is possible that YouTube had planned to offer them to everyone soon. But given the events related to the coronavirus, now is not really the time.
Indeed, YouTube announced that all videos now have standard video quality (480p) by default worldwide, for 30 days, to relieve networks in view of the confinement. It would not make sense to put in place an option now which would allow the best quality to be obtained by default.