Google announces ad-free YouTube Red subscriptions with Music service & offline caching
Google on Wednesday revealed YouTube Red, a $10-per-month subscription plan that will lift some of the limits of regular YouTube while also revamping Music Key as YouTube Music.
One of the primary draws of Red, launching in the U.S. on Oct. 28, will be the ability to watch videos without ads. While there are unofficial desktop browser extensions that block them, Red will remove ads on mobile devices as well -- including secondary apps such as YouTube Gaming and the upcoming YouTube Music client.
Subscribers will also be able to cache videos on mobile devices for offline viewing, and listen to videos in the background. When using the Music app, caching will offer an audio-only mode, saving storage space.
Red includes free access to both YouTube Music and Google Play Music. Subscribers to the latter, in fact, will be able to use Red's video functions, which could make the service more competitive with rivals like Spotify and Apple Music.
Starting in early 2016, Red will additionally play home to to original shows and full-length movies. Many of these will come from current YouTube celebrities, such as PewDiePie and the Rooster Teeth team.
People interested in the service will be able to try a free one-month trial. Google has not said when the YouTube Music app will become available, or when Red will expand outside of the U.S.
One of the primary draws of Red, launching in the U.S. on Oct. 28, will be the ability to watch videos without ads. While there are unofficial desktop browser extensions that block them, Red will remove ads on mobile devices as well -- including secondary apps such as YouTube Gaming and the upcoming YouTube Music client.
Subscribers will also be able to cache videos on mobile devices for offline viewing, and listen to videos in the background. When using the Music app, caching will offer an audio-only mode, saving storage space.
Red includes free access to both YouTube Music and Google Play Music. Subscribers to the latter, in fact, will be able to use Red's video functions, which could make the service more competitive with rivals like Spotify and Apple Music.
Starting in early 2016, Red will additionally play home to to original shows and full-length movies. Many of these will come from current YouTube celebrities, such as PewDiePie and the Rooster Teeth team.
People interested in the service will be able to try a free one-month trial. Google has not said when the YouTube Music app will become available, or when Red will expand outside of the U.S.
Comments
For me, sitting through 10-30 seconds of blank space before getting to your video isn’t a great experience either.
The offline, background, and free use of Google Play Music, all included in the $9.99 monthly subscription, mean there is more value on offer than just, no ads.
And of course, if you’re a rabid fan of some of YouTube’s biggest stars, their exclusive new content will now sit behind a paywall.
All that said, I don’t think the majority of people I know will sign up for YouTube Red at $9.99 a month. But I do think there are millions, maybe tens of millions who will.
Btw.. Is my viewing habit still sold to advertisers?
Pay for YouTube ? Eh, naw. Plus it sounds like a porn version of YouTube with that name
Oh god now you've said this I can't understand why on earth they'd use Youtube 'Red'. There's other.. Red... coloured tubes out there. Jesus, google.
To counter the 30% Apple cut.
It doesn't though, not fully. They get $9.09 charging $12.99.
Usually, I get the option to "skip ad" on Youtube in 5-6 seconds. I do. I think that's a fair quid pro quo for free.
What am I missing?!
Some time ago they introduced (at a premium price for the buyer, no doubt) fifteen second unskippable ads. In the last month or so, they've now introduced the thirty second unskippable ad. It's easy to see where that's going to lead.
No thanks. Skipping commercials at YouTube is easy and none of the rest interests me.
Just say no to Google and their data-stealing/selling scheme.
Red includes free access to both YouTube Music and Google Play Music. Subscribers to the latter, in fact, will be able to use Red's video functions, which could make the service more competitive with rivals like Spotify and Apple Music.
So all-you-can-eat music subscription is included within the same monthly price?
Apple should give away top-tier iCloud space option for free to Apple Music subscriber, but even that would not much what Google is trying to offer.
If you use YouTube and Google Play, this seems like a great deal for $10/month.
The only thing missing is a family tier. Apple offers a pretty great value for those who use Apple Music at $15/month for up to 6 users.
Better than getting $7.
So all-you-can-eat music subscription is included within the same monthly price?
Apple should give away top-tier iCloud space option for free to Apple Music subscriber, but even that would not much what Google is trying to offer.
They're pretty much the same thing. Both $9.99 a month, it'll just come down to what content is available that dictates what people want. Skipping ads is nice, but not sure that alone is worth $10 a month. iCloud and Google Drive are essentially the same price, though iCloud offers a lower storage entry level and a slightly different staggering of tiers.
Apple Music with free iCloud space would beat a you-redtube subscription in terms of value, I think. I just like Google Drive because it has fantastic integration across all platforms - iCloud is rubbish on windows and android.
http://techcrunch.com/2015/09/29/google-introduces-google-play-music-family-plan-14-99-for-up-to-6-people/
If you use YouTube and Google Play, this seems like a great deal for $10/month.
The only thing missing is a family tier. Apple offers a pretty great value for those who use Apple Music at $15/month for up to 6 users.
Google Play Music Family Plan will be available within the next few weeks.
http://techcrunch.com/2015/09/29/google-introduces-google-play-music-family-plan-14-99-for-up-to-6-people/
Hey thanks.
I totally missed that. Good looking out.