When I bought my first Chromebook in 2020, I imagined a bright future. I specifically wanted a convertible vehicle so I could replace my aging third-generation iPad (yes, the one from 2012). And because of Android app support, I thought I could use it as my new machine for media consumption. Unfortunately, things have gotten more complicated, especially when it comes to video streaming and downloading, and I wish I knew in advance what I was keeping myself busy with. To save you the same disappointment, go for it here.
After setting up my Chromebook and installing the Netflix and Amazon Prime Video apps, I quickly filled up my local storage with some posters and apps to watch – Google even advertises Netflix downloads as a Chromebook benefit. While I was around (it was relatively safe to travel during the summer where I live), I noticed that both streaming services only offer a sub-parial video quality. At first I thought it was my fault and suspect I forgot to increase the download quality in settings, but even when I did, the resolution remained sub-HD.
I quickly realized that while watching Netflix website does support up to 1080p on Chromebooks, the Android app is limited to 480p, whether you stream or download. This is something that Google does not acknowledge at all in its brilliant promotional video above. Things are getting worse with Amazon Prime Video. A support website mentions that the streaming service limits the quality to standard definition on operating systems other than Windows and macOS. Oddly enough, Disney + does not have these problems at all. It supports HD both in its app and on the website (although to me it seems to be limited to 720p, which is still much better than what Netflix and Amazon offer).
Arbitrary Netflix restrictions.
What gives? Maybe you guessed it – copyright protection.
Streaming services rely on Google’s Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology Widevine, which streams encrypted video streams. Widevine consists of three levels that offer varying degrees of protection, the highest of which is L1, followed by L2 and L3. Devices that want any chance to support HD playback on popular streaming platforms nowadays usually have to support L1.
It would be simple if you could just say that any device that supports L1 can stream anything it wants to 4K, but it does not work that way. Streaming services often whitelist specific devices and hardware components for high-quality video streams, and Chrome OS does not seem to be the platform they pay much attention to.
Although we know that Chrome OS supports L1, it seems that Netflix thinks that the Android container is limited to L3, as specified in the Netflix app settings. That would explain why Netflix restricts HD streaming to the site (where it can ensure high quality streaming is harder to hurt), but it’s still weird that the Disney + app enables 720p streaming and Amazon does not does not stream in HD. It’s possible that Netflix only displays the lowest Widevine level because it manually certifies Android devices for HD playback, which we treat regularly.
According to Netflix statistics, the streaming service only has access to the weakest level, Widevine L3.
But all this does not even have to matter to me as a consumer – Google must do everything humanly possible to create a platform that supports high quality video playback, if it does not want to disappoint customers, and streaming services must do their part to provide subscribers the HD picture quality (not to mention 4K) that they pay for, no matter what device they use. It makes sense that streaming services are interested in copyright protection, but since Chrome OS is capable of encrypting Widevine L3 encryption, implementing appropriate measures should not be a problem.
My Chromebook does an excellent job of blogging, but I’m concerned it has not become the all-encompassing machine for productivity and media, as promised by Google. It seems that the iPad remains the best choice for most people if they want a lightweight device that combines basic productivity with hours of media consumption, and I’m starting to think I’d be better off with the Apple product.