There are a few key reasons why Facebook does not allow 1080p streaming:
Bandwidth Limitations
Facebook serves billions of users every day. Streaming high quality 1080p video to so many people would require massive amounts of bandwidth and infrastructure. 720p provides a good balance of quality and bandwidth requirements for the scale at which Facebook operates.
Mobile Device Limitations
The majority of Facebook users access the platform on mobile devices. Most mobile devices do not have screens with high enough resolution to take full advantage of 1080p streaming. Streaming at 1080p would use extra bandwidth without providing much benefit for most Facebook users.
Cost
Upgrading Facebook’s infrastructure and bandwidth to support 1080p streaming at their global scale would be extremely expensive. The additional cost would likely outweigh the minor quality improvements for most users. 720p keeps costs lower.
Compatibility
Facebook wants to ensure compatibility across as many devices and connections as possible. 720p video can be smoothly streamed by nearly all internet connections and devices. Jumping up to 1080p could cause performance issues for some users, especially those with slower connections.
Focus on Accessibility
Facebook’s priority is making their platform accessible to as many people as possible. Optimizing for 720p allows more people around the world to smoothly access Facebook video, even those with bandwidth constraints or older devices. Widening accessibility is more important to Facebook than maxing out resolution.
Limited Visible Difference
On the mobile devices and smaller screens that most Facebook users have, there is not a huge visible difference between 720p and 1080p. The minor bump in resolution is not worth the tradeoffs in cost, bandwidth, accessibility for Facebook’s global user base.
Conclusion
In summary, Facebook caps video resolution at 720p primarily to manage bandwidth costs and ensure widespread accessibility. Upgrading to 1080p would provide marginal visual improvements to most users, while dramatically increasing infrastructure demands and potentially limiting access for those with lower connectivity. For a social media platform at Facebook’s massive scale, maintaining universal access trumps maxing out resolution.
Bandwidth Usage Comparison
Here is a table comparing the bandwidth requirements of 720p vs 1080p video:
| Resolution | Bandwidth Per Hour (720p) | Bandwidth Per Hour (1080p) |
|---|---|---|
| 1280×720 | 2.75 GB | N/A |
| 1920×1080 | N/A | 4.7 GB |
As you can see, 1080p video requires around 70% more bandwidth than 720p video. When you are serving billions of users per day like Facebook, that difference in bandwidth usage really adds up.
Resolution vs Screen Size
Here is a table looking at video resolution requirements based on screen size:
| Screen Size | Minimum Resolution | Optimal Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Smartphone (<5 inches) | 720p | 1080p |
| Laptop/Desktop (13-27 inches) | 1080p | 1440p or 4K |
| TV (>40 inches) | 1080p | 4K or 8K |
As you can see from the table, 1080p resolution does not become necessary until screen sizes reach 13 inches or greater. Since the majority of Facebook users are on smartphones with smaller screens, 720p is sufficient.
Percentage of Facebook Users on Mobile
In 2022, over 95% of Facebook’s monthly active users accessed the platform on mobile devices. With such a mobile-centric user base, Facebook is optimizing primarily for the smartphone experience rather than larger screens where higher resolution provides more benefit.
Internet Penetration by Region
| Region | Internet Penetration Rate |
|---|---|
| North America | 90% |
| Europe | 88% |
| Middle East | 77% |
| Latin America/Caribbean | 77% |
| Asia Pacific | 64% |
| Africa | 43% |
This table shows internet penetration rates by region globally. While North America and Europe have very high rates, other parts of the world like Africa and Asia Pacific have lower penetration. Facebook has many users in these emerging regions, so optimizing for lower bandwidth allows more people in these areas to access the platform.
Cost Estimates for 1080p Streaming
Experts estimate that supporting global 1080p streaming on Facebook would cost tens of billions of dollars to upgrade their infrastructure and bandwidth capacities. These costs would include:
- Building more data centers around the world – $10 to $15 billion
- Adding more servers and hardware – $5 to $10 billion
- Increasing internet and transit bandwidth – $10 to $20 billion
- Expanding fiber network infrastructure – $5 to $10 billion
When you factor in the ongoing increased bandwidth costs, supporting 1080p could cost Facebook an additional $5 to $10 billion per year. These massive costs for little visible benefit explain why Facebook sticks with more efficient 720p streaming.
In conclusion, there are many good technical and business reasons why Facebook caps video resolution at 720p rather than offering 1080p streaming. Considering Facebook’s global user base and goals around accessibility, bandwidth limitations make 720p the most viable option currently and for the foreseeable future.