The Speedtest app for iOS has added a new data point that you can file a complaint with your ISP.
Ookla, which makes Speedtest, announced on Monday that it added a video streaming test, which tells you the best resolution to stream video content on all your devices without annoying buffers or hiccups.
The video test is very different from the standard speed test, which tells you how fast your connection is. Instead, as Ookla explains, the video test “plays a real video to specifically measure the performance of video streaming on your network at any time,” which is necessary “because video traffic cannot be simulated over a network.” The video will go through different resolutions, up to 4K, to judge which resolution is best given the capabilities of your Wi-Fi.
Of course, good video streaming is a must these days. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced workers and students alike into an endless series of video calls, while the entertainment world has shifted its focus to streaming services, which have become overwhelmingly plentiful. With many of us sitting at home for the past year, our streaming consumption has exploded, according to Nielsen’s findings.
G / O Media can receive a commission
“In the second quarter of 2020, Americans looked at more than 142 billion people minutes of streaming video, ”Nielsen wrote in August 2020 report. It also found that “streaming consumption is across all video options more than 74% up from last year“Accelerated by COVID-19 – to show that streaming is the present and future of content creation.”
You can find Speedtest’s new streaming analysis function at the bottom of the screen in the app. Just click on “Video” and hit the giant yellow play button in the center. A video of what looks like fiber optic cables will calm you down during the test, which you will need to run to complete. (Do not check the text in the middle or you will have to start over.) In the end gives you an assessment of your network’s streaming situation. For example, it advised me to only stream at a maximum resolution of 1440p, that is awesome news since I just blown a few hundred bucks on a 4K TV and ditched cable for YouTube TV. Oh yeah!
The video streaming test is currently only available on Speedtest for iOS, but Ookla says it plans to roll out to other platforms in the future. If you already have Speedtest, update the app and you will see the new feature. Otherwise, download the app – it’s free! And a great tool to cut your internet bill by a few dollars the next time you need to.