The Speedtest app for iOS has added a new data point so you can complain to your ISP.
Ookla, who does Speedtest, announced on Monday, it has added a video playback test, which tells you the best resolution to play video content on all your devices without the hassle of buffers or issues.
The video test is completely 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 isn’t can simulate over a network “. The video works with several resolutions, up to 4K, to judge which resolution best suits the capabilities of your wifi.
Of course, good video streaming is a must nowadays. The covid-19 pandemic has forced workers and students to make an endless series of video calls, while the entertainment world has focused on broadcast services, which have become overwhelmingly plentiful. Because many of us have been stuck at home for the past year, our transmission consumption has exploded, according to Nielsen’s findings.
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“During the second quarter of 2020, Americans saw more than 142 billion minutes of video transmission, “Nielsen wrote in August 2020 report. It was also found that “the transmission consumption in all video options is increased by more than 74% over last year—Eccelerated by COVID-19— which indicates that real-time transmission is now the present and future of content creation. “
You can find the new Speedtest streaming analysis feature at the bottom of the app screen. Just click “Video” and press the giant yellow play button in the center. A video of what appears to be fiber optic cables will reassure you during the test, which you must leave running for it to complete. (Don’t check any text in the middle, as it will have to start over.) at the end, it will give you an assessment of the transmission situation of your network. For example, it is recommended that they emit only a maximum resolution of 1440p, ie wonderful news, as I just blew a few hundred dollars on a 4K TV and left the cable for YouTube TV. Oh well!
The video streaming test is only available on Speedtest for iOS right now, but Ookla says it plans to launch it on other platforms in the future. If you already have Speedtest, just update the app and see the new feature. Otherwise, download the app – it’s free. And a good tool to have the next time you need to negotiate your internet bill for a few dollars.