Google announces ad-free YouTube Red subscriptions with Music service & offline caching

Posted:
in General Discussion edited October 2015
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.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 39
    sirlance99sirlance99 Posts: 1,293member
    I would say that the subscription is certainly a great way to get around that growing problem of ad-blocking, but ad revenue at YouTube has been increasing at a very steady pace, so it isn’t a threat that forced them into this. A "massive portion" of their audience is vastly overstating the prevalence of ad blockers.

    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.
  • Reply 2 of 39
    This looks likely to be a huge hit and revenue stream for YouTube.
  • Reply 3 of 39
    iOS users have to pay $13 if they sign up in app, and possibly $13 period. Unclear yet which is the case.
  • Reply 4 of 39
    irnchrizirnchriz Posts: 1,616member
    Pay for YouTube ? Eh, naw. Plus it sounds like a porn version of YouTube with that name
  • Reply 5 of 39
    mejsricmejsric Posts: 152member
    YouTube ads is getting intrusive... And i think is will get more intrusive and force you to pay premium.

    Btw.. Is my viewing habit still sold to advertisers?
  • Reply 6 of 39
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by irnchriz View Post



    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.

  • Reply 7 of 39
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    iOS users have to pay $13 if they sign up in app, and possibly $13 period. Unclear yet which is the case.

    To counter the 30% Apple cut.
  • Reply 8 of 39
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    No fuk no...keep ur ads.
  • Reply 9 of 39
    dasanman69 wrote: »
    To counter the 30% Apple cut.

    It doesn't though, not fully. They get $9.09 charging $12.99.
  • Reply 10 of 39

    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?!

  • Reply 11 of 39
    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.
  • Reply 12 of 39
    If you see that this directly competes with apple music then this is a well played card for Google. Apple needs to push out their android app asap. Now Google has by far the best bang for buck.
  • Reply 13 of 39

    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.

  • Reply 14 of 39
    jason98jason98 Posts: 768member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    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.

  • Reply 15 of 39

    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.

  • Reply 16 of 39
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    dasanman69 wrote: »
    To counter the 30% Apple cut.

    It doesn't though, not fully. They get $9.09 charging $12.99.

    Better than getting $7.
  • Reply 17 of 39
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jason98 View Post

     

     

    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.

  • Reply 18 of 39
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    techlover wrote: »
    If you use YouTube and Google Play, this seems like a great deal for $10/month.

    The only thing missing is a family tier. <span style="line-height:1.4em;">Apple offers a pretty great value for those who use Apple Music at $15/month for up to 6 users.</span>
    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/
  • Reply 19 of 39
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post

     
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TechLover View Post



    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.

  • Reply 20 of 39
    Is it wrong of me to feel that Google has planned to routinely roll out new face lifts of their site, claiming to bringing new but often trivial and mundane features, but in reality these roll outs are essentially red taping premier content by adding layers upon layers of advertising. Then they go under the trenches for months, at the end of which they resurface and announces with the ability to remove those advertising by way of payment, in this case red ribbon removal perk. No it doesn't sound like porn, it sounds like there are plans to rolling out the yellow ribbon, then the blue... and the next thing you know, a new perk is around the corner. Is it wrong of me, to feel victimized in an elaborate scheme extortion?
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