YouTube posted a new support page about unexpected buffering and low-quality streaming videos affecting iOS users.
Apparently, the issue regarding low video quality is widespread and impacts iOS desktops, smart TVs, and iOS mobile devices. While the easy fix is to increase the resolution manually by going into settings and selecting the preferred quality, it doesn’t seem to work. Users will have a buffering or loading screen and that doesn’t fix the problem. YouTube has posted that they are aware of the bug and are ‘actively looking into’ the issue. Android users are less likely to experience the low video quality of buffering as it has not been mentioned on the support page.

Affected users will experience subpar video quality on any of the devices mentioned, buffering even when they have adequate internet speeds, and streaming defaulted at 360p or 144p even when there are higher resolution options available.