Good news for cord-cutters who flocked to YouTube TV instead of cable or satellite plans The bad news: some of them cost quite a bit extra

Today, YouTube TV announced that it will add support for 4K Ultra HD resolution and the ability to download stored content to a cell phone or tablet for offline viewing Both features enhance YouTube TV's appeal and versatility, but they are not standard enhancements

Instead, YouTube is bundling a new "4K Plus" add-on package, which costs an additional $20 per month to the standard plan However, the feature has a 30-day free trial, followed by a year of use at a discounted rate of $10 per month After that, the price increases to $20/month; 4K Plus subscribers also have unlimited streams on their home Wi-Fi

Fortunately, there is one major feature that will be offered to all YouTube TV subscribers at no additional charge: Dolby 51 surround sound support This is Dolby 51 Surround Sound support This feature will eventually be available to all YouTube TV subscribers and will be available on "select devices" within the next few weeks

While some YouTube TV users may appreciate the additional benefits of the 4K Plus plan, it comes at a significant price: the basic YouTube TV plan starts at $65, so the full price increases by more than 30% to take advantage of the 4K Plus features

YouTube TV is a very popular TV service

Services like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV have been marketed as alternatives to bloated and expensive cable TV bills, but all three services have recently seen price increases, confounding the argument that streaming is a more affordable alternative to cable and satellite plans

YouTube TV

YouTube TV's base price jumped from $50 to $65 per month for new subscribers in June 2020 A similar service, FuboTV, raised its base plan price from $55 to $65 per month in July 2020, in step with YouTube TV and $61 to $71 per month without ads

Sling TV offers smaller core channel bundles than its rivals, raising the price of its Sling Orange and Sling Blue plans from $30 to $35 each in January, bringing the combined bundle to $50

Last December, Tom's Guide editor Henry T Casey cut the cord and shared his experience with streaming services like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV Despite price increases, he found the streaming services to be a better bargain for his needs