During the company’s keynote address today at the CES 2016, Robert Kyncl, YouTube’s Chief Business Officer casually mentioned that YouTube would be supporting HDR soon. The video streaming service will thus join the likes of Netflix and Amazon with this new development.
HDR stands for high dynamic range. This technology is used to reproduce a greater dynamic range of luminosity than is possible with standard digital imaging or photographic techniques. In short, it makes contrasts more vivid and the colour reproduction is enhanced. Even details in brightness or in the dark are more visible which leads to more realistic images.
The announcement didn’t come in with any drumroll. Kyncl, GoPro CEO Nick Woodman and VRSE CEO Chris Milk were on-stage discussing about YouTube’s partnership with GoPro and bringing in more 360-degree video, Kyncl mentioned briefly that the company has plans to start support for HDR.
YouTube was later bombarded with questions about the details of this revelation but the only thing we could learn from them is that the HDR support will be coming later this year.
Another thing of note is that according to YouTube, its partners including Samsung, LG and Hisense were showcasing YouTube in 4K HDR by displaying videos from NASA and Karmin at the venue of this year’s CES.
The format requires HDR support on the display used, but that’t not going to be an issue for YouTube, Netflix or Amazon as many TV manufacturers including Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic announced HDR compatible televisions at the CES 2016.
