Ookla announces video speed test for Android

Internet analytics company Ookla has expanded its Speedtest Internet performance tool to include video quality for Android devices.

The test, which has been available for iOS since February, now appears as a new tab in Ookla's Android app. Once started, it plays a short video at various bitrates to simulate the average streaming workload. Then, the test gradually increases the video resolution until the test completes in a "reasonable amount of time" or hits 4K.

After testing, the app will show a summary of the device's resolution, load time, and buffering metrics. The results are archived to provide a historical overview of network performance changes. The report will also reveal what types of devices the network can adequately stream through.

Doing an internet speed test benefits more than just a tester. In addition to confirming that the network's performance is as advertised, the data also helps determine an average baseline within the region. Ookla published the findings on its Speedtest Global Index. And while the video component doesn't currently appear as part of the report, it wouldn't be surprising to see it appear any time soon.