YouTube is looking to capitalize on its over one billion monthly viewers by offering an ad-free streaming service bundled with a Spotify-like music service for $9.99 month.
What is YouTube Red?
Or for that matter, what is a PewDiePie? I’m far to old to watch its biggest star or the other nine original series that will be offered without advertising at the same price as a monthly Netflix subscription.
“In the first decade of YouTube, the way we derived revenue was advertisers told us what the viewers’ eyeballs are worth,” said Robert Kyncl, YouTube’s chief business officer, speaking at a press event held in Los Angeles today. “In this case, it’s the user saying over time what those videos are worth.”
While it was announced today, the service itself will not become available until later this month on the 28th of October. When launched, YouTube will offer “Red” with a month free trial. While it’s expected that additional markets (countries) will be offered the service in 2016, for now only users in the United States will be able to pay for something that they already receive free of charge.
Will YouTube really sell many subscriptions?
While that might sound cynical or at least skeptical, I’m certainly not alone in believing that YouTube will face an uphill battle selling the service. But some people have enough money that $10 each month is nothing, and again with a billion users…..
There are a few features to the new service that could appeal to some like the ability to save videos offline on phones and tablets as well as being able to play them in the background on those devices as you’re doing other things. Bundled with “Red” is also a new version of YouTube Music with also allows full access to Google Play Music. YouTube Music is effectively replacing Music Key beta and is promising more discovery options for those looking for new music or new “old music” in similar genres to your selection.
While the ad-free streaming will begin on the 28th, subscribers will have to wait for the original content exclusive to Red until just after the new year in January 2016.
For more reasons this could be a fool’s errand by all means have a look at Variety’s opinion.
