Ooka’s SpeedTest.net is the go-to measure for network speed. But pure speed expressed in megabits (or kilobits, you poor dears) per second is hard to translate into more conventional applications, like how good your streaming video will be. An update to the iOS version of the app, released today, will do just that.
The new interface for the app has three tabs on the bottom: the primary tab with a classic speed test on the left, a free “VPN” (basically an ad for Vanish) on the right, and “Video” in the middle. Run the video test and the app will play a sample video animation, testing its bitrate and quality on your network connection. After thirty seconds or so, it’ll give you an indication of the maximum quality of video you can stream.
On my home internet (which AT&T says is up to 300mbps), SpeedTest says I can handle 4K video streaming. When I tether to my phone and tested it on an LTE connection, running at about a tenth of that speed, it says I can expect 1080p video at best. Which seems about right. Both include examples of the best devices to watch said video on.
The update is live on iOS right now, and Ookla says it’s coming to more platforms “soon.”
