Techniques are disclosed for streaming digital content from a server to a client device in a way that is tailored to the context in which the client device is used. The context in which a client device is used may refer to, for example, the operational characteristics of the device and/or the environmental conditions under which the device is used. A client device can be configured to collect contextual data characterizing its use context. The way in which streaming media is delivered to the client device can be adjusted based on such contextual data, and in particular, can be adjusted in a way that tailors the content delivery to the specific use context. This can improve user experience and conserve battery and network resources, for example, by avoiding the streaming of high definition content to a device that, due to its use context, is able to render standard definition content.