After months of hype and speculation, Google has finally announced YouTube Red – a paid service for Ads-free video streaming and YouTube Music – the music streaming platform.
What is YouTube Red?
Initially introduced as YouTube Music Key, YouTube Red is a monthly paid subscription service from YouTube that remove ads from all videos, everywhere you watch. Google changed the name to YouTube Red and expanded it to all kinds of YouTube videos in late October 2015.
What is the YouTube Music app?
Alongside YouTube Red, Google also announced the YouTube Music app. It’s not available quite yet, but when it launches in late 2015, it will serve as a dedicated place to listen to music on YouTube.
Using YouTube Music, users will be able to watch and listen to music on YouTube when your screen is off, but only if they have YouTube Red subscription. The app will also work without Red subscription, but users won’t get benefits of Red, like ad-free experience or background listening.
Everything YouNeed To Know
Here is a small list of the things that you should be aware of about the two new versions of YouTube.
- This update doesn’t end the YouTube platform as we know at the moment, these two versions will co-exist, and the YouTube will still be available as a free, ad-supported product.
- YouTube Red allows users to access all the videos posted on YouTube ad-free. Users can also download videos that you like to your mobile devices and play the videos in the background while you are using other apps.
- YouTube Red users will also get exclusive access to shows and movies from big names on YouTube like PewDiePie, Lilly Singh and The Fine Brothers.
- Pricing has only been disclosed for the US at the moment. The pricing for this service is $10 per month of usage.
- The service will start will start in the US from 28 October and Google is planning to go global starting in the year 2016.
- YouTube Music is a free ad-supported platform that serves as a place where artists can stream their songs via well-managed playlists.
Finally coming to the implications that the introduction of YouTube Red may have on users. There are big chances that you might not be able to access exclusive shows and content by your favorite Youtubers without paying for the Red.
If the Chief Business Officer of YouTube, Robert Kyncl, is to be believed, more than 99% of the YouTubers have agreed to publish their content only on the paid platform. This will bring a serious change in the way we perceive YouTube at the moment.
