Google Chrome will soon reduce resource consumption on Android phones with the introduction of LiteVideos, which aims to help save data by allowing low-resolution video streaming.

Earlier this year, Google replaced Chrome's data saver feature with a new "light mode." Now such a process is being applied to video, reducing the impact on both cellular data consumption and hardware resources on low-end spec Android phones.

Techdows reports that this video compression feature will soon be included in the full release of Chrome 86 and will work on Windows 10, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS machines.

"LiteVideo optimization helps users save data in their media streams by encouraging media players to use lower bitrates for LiteMode users," the Chromium on Chrome browser build Bug Tracker explains. Additionally, the LiteVideo feature effectively simulates low bandwidth situations and throttles streaming media to adapt to lower data throughput by reducing video resolution.

LiteVideo can currently be enabled in the Canary experimental version of Chrome. It requires a bit of work, including searching for the "Lite" option in the test browser and enabling the "LiteVideos" flag and the "Force LiteVideos Decision" flag in the test browser. Once set up, the video optimization feature is turned on in Chrome Canary and can be downloaded and tested in the Play Store on Android.

If you have a flagship Android phone like the Galaxy S20 Ultra or OnePlus 8 Pro and are signed up with a carrier with a high cellular data allowance, these features won't be very attractive. But for those with lower-end smartphones, the ability to throttle the data demands of streaming video in Chrome will prove to be a welcome new feature.