YouTube is expanding its Premium Lite pilot to India, giving viewers a lower-cost option to watch most videos without ads. The plan is priced at ₹89 per month.

Premium Lite works across phones, laptops, and TVs. It removes ads from most videos but does not cover everything. Ads will still appear on music content, Shorts, and when users search or browse. Those who want ad-free music on YouTube and YouTube Music, along with offline downloads and background play, will need the full YouTube Premium plan.

The rollout comes as YouTube Music and Premium together have reached more than 125 million subscribers worldwide, including trial users. YouTube says Premium Lite is meant for viewers who mainly want ad-free video streaming, while keeping the price more affordable than the full plan.

Since launching YouTube Music and Premium, the company has been adding options to suit different viewing needs. Premium Lite continues that approach and also creates more ways for creators and partners to earn revenue.

YouTube says the platform offers a wide mix of content, including dramas, podcasts, and live gaming streams. With Premium Lite, users in India can watch most of this content without interruptions while choosing a plan that fits their budget.

The service is being rolled out now and will be available across India in the coming weeks.

(Source)

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Being the most browsed video platform, YouTube has over a billion daily users. However, access to its paid services, aka YouTube Premium and YouTube Music, is slowly and gradually picking up. In an exciting revelation, YouTube Music and Premium proudly announce the achievement of surpassing 100 million subscribers, a significant milestone that includes trial users.

Launched in 2015 as a new subscription service along with YouTube Music, YouTube Premium finally surpassed 100 million subscribers. The ad-free experience and access to a vast YouTube music library have made the subscription model a success. It also offers additional features like an uninterrupted experience, background play, downloads, and an extensive music catalog. Further, the recent rebranding, expanded offerings, and access in over 100 countries have made it the user’s choice in the past some time. Speaking on the occasion, Adam Smith, Vice President of Product Management at YouTube, said:

"Beyond features, we know what truly makes viewers and listeners keep choosing YouTube - it’s the incredible content from our creators and artists. YouTube Premium helps maintain a thriving creator and artist community, providing them with an additional source of revenue from subscriptions."

With the advent of AI, YouTube has added several AI-based features and also offers enhanced bitrate 1080P HD quality videos. It enables seamless cross-device watching. YouTube Music recently received the Samples tab for new music discovery in reel format. YouTube Music also brings the integration of podcasts and a customized radio-building experience. It recently added the ability to find music by singing them.

Apart from the user perspective, the YouTube Premium subscription contributes to the prosperity of the creator and artist communities by providing them with an additional source of revenue through subscriptions.

YouTube remains committed to delivering a best-in-class experience, with a focus on continuous support for the thriving creator and artist community. We hope YouTube introduces some more useful features that benefit the creator community and its users too.

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With premium tiers available for almost every service these days, there is pressure on companies to provide a compelling set of features in newer updates. YouTube, the go-to platform for video content, is doing the same for its Premium users, with a bundle of new features. This move not only aims to improve the viewing experience but also adds a touch of exclusivity and personalization.

The experimental AI tool will make it easier for users to ask questions

The highlight of these updates is the introduction of an experimental conversational AI tool. This feature, currently available in English for a select group of U.S.-based Android users, allows for a more interactive engagement with content. Imagine watching a tutorial or a documentary and being able to ask direct questions about it right then and there. This could revolutionize how we consume and interact with video content, making it a more dynamic and informative experience.

Further appealing to content creators, YouTube is integrating AI to help organize comments. This feature promises to streamline the way creators engage with their audience, making it easier to spot trends, respond to queries, and foster a community around their content.

For those who enjoy gaming and online communities, YouTube Premium now offers promotional perks. These include trials for Discord Nitro, PC Game Pass, and even in-game bonuses for popular titles like Genshin Impact. The inclusion of a Walmart+ membership trial and Calm Premium indicates YouTube’s understanding of its diverse user base and their varied interests.

YouTube is also boosting its video quality for Premium users across platforms, including Android, web, and smart TVs. This enhanced bitrate version of 1080p HD, previously available to iOS users, will be automatically enabled depending on your connection. This ensures that the best possible video quality is delivered without the need for manual adjustments.

Finally, YouTube is introducing badges for Premium users, depicting their achievements on the platform. This small addition serves as a badge of recognizing the loyalty and engagement of its users.

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(Via)

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If you, like me, enjoy watching YouTube videos while having a meal and happen to live in one of the countries mentioned above, I have some bad news for you. Starting from November 1, 2023, YouTube Premium prices are going up in certain countries. Actually, this isn’t much of a surprise, as a few months ago, YouTube already raised the price of the YouTube Premium subscription. However, this change didn’t affect some countries at that time. Now, the circumstances have “equalized” for everyone once again. Here are the details…

YouTube Premium Price Hike to Go Into Effect in November

Starting November 1, 2023, YouTube Premium prices are increasing in the following countries:

• Argentina
• Australia
• Austria
• Chile
• Germany
• Poland
• Turkey

Existing subscribers will start to see the new pricing with their next billing cycle. However, in Australia, existing subscribers will be able to keep their current pricing for at least three more months. YouTube says that the price increase is necessary to “continue to improve Premium and support the creators and artists you watch on YouTube.” YouTube also says that it wants to help creators earn more money, and that increasing the price of Premium will help it do that.

The price increase will make YouTube Premium more expensive for users in the affected countries. However, users who value the features that Premium offers, such as ad-free viewing and background play, may still find that it is a good value. YouTube has recently taken a more aggressive stance against ad blockers. In some cases, YouTube has even blocked users from watching videos if they have an ad blocker installed. This is likely because YouTube relies on advertising revenue to generate income.

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YouTube has expanded its list of features for Premium subscribers by making its higher-quality 1080p option available to users on desktops worldwide. Paul Pennington, a spokesperson for the video-sharing platform, verified this update to The Verge. Originating from an initial test phase, this “enhanced bitrate” 1080p made its official debut in April on iOS.

YouTube has also raised the price of its Premium subscription to $13.99

Interestingly, the feature was previously observed by a non-Premium user on several videos last Friday. But, there’s a catch – on attempting to use this enhanced bitrate, YouTube nudges you to become a Premium member. For those contemplating taking the leap, be aware that the cost of YouTube Premium has seen a slight rise, and so have other services.

For those who can avail this feature, the difference in quality is unmistakable. As YouTube pointed out in an April blog, videos with a lot of intricate details and dynamic motion stand to gain immensely from this feature, appearing more sharp and vivid than usual.

The rollout isn’t limited to just the desktop versions. Pennington revealed that the enhanced 1080p experience will also be integrated into YouTube on devices centered around living room usage, such as Chromecasts and gaming consoles. Android users might have to hold on a little longer as the feature isn’t universally available. However, as per a report from 9to5Google in June, the improved resolution has made an appearance for a few Android enthusiasts.

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Google has raised the price of YouTube Premium in the US. According to 9to5google, the new cost for both new and existing customers is $13.99 per month, up from $11.99. If you subscribe through the iOS YouTube app, the price goes up to $18.99 per month.

A Closer Look at YouTube Premium’s New Pricing Structure

According to a YouTube spokesperson, the price increase is necessary to maintain the quality of service and features provided to YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium subscribers. They also stated that the new price better reflects the value offered by YouTube Premium, including ad-free streaming, offline and background play, and access to over 100 million songs on the YouTube Music app.

In late 2022, the price for YouTube Premium family plans increased to $22.99 per month. The annual subscription, introduced in 2022, is now $139.99, saving subscribers $27.89 compared to monthly payments.

The cost of YouTube Music Premium will also rise from $9.99 to $10.99 per month, aligning with similar price increases by Apple and Amazon.

Existing customers will see the new pricing reflected in their next billing cycle and will receive emails explaining the changes. Subscribers who were grandfathered in from Google Play Music and/or YouTube Red will enjoy an additional three months at their current rate.

YouTube Premium offers an ad-free viewing experience on YouTube, allowing users to watch videos without interruptions. It also includes the ability to download videos and playlists for offline viewing and play videos in the background. Additionally, YouTube Premium provides access to YouTube Music, an ad-free music streaming service, with offline playback and background listening. YouTube Kids, an ad-free and offline-playable version of YouTube designed for children, is also included.

This price increase follows a trend of rising subscription costs in major streaming services like Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Netflix. It is expected to benefit Google’s financials, especially since YouTube Music and Premium had over 80 million paid subscribers as of September 2022.

YouTube is also exploring a new gaming feature called Playables, following the setback of Stadia. Playables will offer simple puzzle or arcade games on smartphones and desktops, incorporating ads for monetization purposes. This experimentation aims to enhance gaming experiences on the platform.

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YouTube Premium is a subscription-based service offered by the popular video-sharing platform, YouTube. With a monthly fee, subscribers gain access to exclusive content, ad-free streaming, and background playback. Additionally, YouTube Premium subscribers can download videos for offline viewing and access to YouTube Music, a streaming service with a vast library of songs and albums. The subscription also includes access to original content created by YouTube, such as documentaries and series, which are not available to non-subscribers. It is a great option for users who want to enjoy ad-free viewing and access to exclusive content. As per the latest reports, a whole host of new features might be making their way to the YouTube Premium experience soon enough.

The service is introducing new features to enhance user experience. In addition to ad-free YouTube and Music, subscribers can now download content to watch later, play videos in the background while using other apps, and access high-quality videos. Moreover, the service has added a SharePlay feature that enables FaceTime users to watch videos simultaneously, and a Queue feature to save videos to watch later. Also, YouTube Premium subscribers using iOS devices will now have access to the “1080p Premium” feature, which delivers 1080p HD video to subscribers with an enhanced bitrate. Google plans to bring this feature to Android users soon. Additionally, YouTube Premium has a “Continue watching” feature, where users can pick up where they left off on a video, and Smart Downloads, which automatically downloads recommended videos for offline viewing.

Subscriptions start at $11.99 per month, with a one-month free trial, and offer the ability to add up to five family members or subscribe as a student for $6.99 monthly. With these new additions, YouTube Premium is proving to be a must-have service for video and music lovers alike. All these new features might make the subscription more appealing to users looking for bonus perks.

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(Via)

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It seems like the new YouTube CEO is already making changes since YouTube has announced that it is testing a new “1080p Premium” option for its Premium subscribers. According to the company’s spokesperson, Paul Pennington, the option is currently only available to a small group of YouTube Premium subscribers. The new feature is essentially an enhanced bitrate version of 1080p that provides a higher-quality viewing experience by offering more information per pixel. However, Pennington clarified that there are no changes to the existing quality offerings for 1080p resolution on YouTube.

It’s worth noting that resolution is just one factor in determining overall video quality. Other factors, such as bitrate and color depth, are also crucial in making a video look good. Bitrate refers to how much data is used to transfer each second of video. A 1080p Blu-ray, for example, provides a maximum of 40 Mbps, which delivers a crisp image. YouTube’s standard 1080p bitrate, on the other hand, ranges between 8 and 10 Mbps, resulting in footage with more blocks than Blu-ray.

YouTube’s new Premium 1080p option is an attempt to provide a better viewing experience for its Premium subscribers. One Reddit user shared a screenshot of the “Stats for Nerds” tool, which is accessible via the settings toolbar of a YouTube video. It revealed that the Premium 1080p option ran at around 13 Mbps compared to 8 Mbps in the standard mode for the same video. While YouTube typically uses variable bitrate encoding, which means the amount of data used fluctuates depending on what’s on the screen, video encoded at a higher bitrate will generally look better.

The new Premium 1080p option could provide a 50 percent boost in bitrate, resulting in a better viewing experience for those willing to pay for the service. YouTube doesn’t show videos at their maximum bitrate to save on bandwidth costs. This is why lower-quality videos take up less bandwidth in the journey from YouTube’s servers to the viewer’s screen.

This is not the first time YouTube has tested higher-quality video behind its Premium paywall. Last year, the company tested a 4K playback feature that was only accessible to subscribers. However, this move received a fair amount of backlash from the community, as some people were losing access to something they previously had for free. This experiment, however, only adds a perk for paying customers while keeping the regular 1080p option the same. That is, if you consider the lower-bitrate 1080p to be the same as higher-bitrate 1080p.

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(Via)

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Youtube launched its Premium subscription service back in 2018. The video streaming website provides users with a variety of features as part of the premium plan. The YouTube subscription service’s standout feature is its ad-free user experience.

Users who subscribe to YouTube’s premium plan can watch videos and listen to music without being interrupted by advertisements. Ads will appear in between videos for those who do not have a premium subscription. In order to entice more users to subscribe to its service, the company is reportedly testing plans to make 4K video playback a premium feature.

Non-premium YouTube users can currently consume content at the highest possible 4K resolution with ads in between. The resolution for video playback for non-premium users is likely to be capped soon. According to Reddit posts, YouTube has been seen testing 4K video playback as a premium feature. There has been no official word on the matter, but if the company decides to pass it as a premium feature, users will have to watch videos on YouTube at 1440p with ads or subscribe to the ad-free plan.

With more and more people buying 4K smart TVs these days, the Alphabet-owned company could be trying to convert these users into YouTube prime subscribers. Aside from no advertisements, the premium plan allows users to download videos, watch videos with the picture-in-picture feature, and access millions of songs on YouTube Music.

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YouTube, the video-sharing social media platform wholly owned by Google, has recently silently implemented a new ad format starting this September 2022. YouTube users who are not subscribed to YouTube Premium, will now receive up to 5 advertisements to be watched, before your video starts.

The news broke out when several YouTube Free users started complaining on Twitter and Reddit that they have been receiving 5 ads instead of 2, before they could watch their YouTube video. 

So @YouTube 2 ads weren’t enough now y’all wanna play 5 ads that no one cares for AND I CANT SKIP ?

— Mermaidvee (@BadGyalVeeVee) September 7, 2022

youtube just gave me 5 long unskipable ads pic.twitter.com/FgUUrzZvoB

— The Ricked One (@LoganC01962550) September 8, 2022

For several YouTube Free users, they reported that they have received 5 unskippable advertisements as opposed to skippable advertisements before a video-watching session, and this caused dissent and upset among the users.

Regarding the matter, YouTube has issued an official reply on Twitter acknowledging the situation and stated that the new 5-ad phenomenon could happen to YouTube users with the company’s certain type of ad format called bumper ads. As explained by YouTube, these bumper ads are short-form ads on the platform that are typically 6 seconds long, and unfortunately unskippable.

hmm…this may happen with a certain type of ad format called bumper ads, since they're only up to 6 seconds long. if you'd like, you can send feedback directly from YouTube via the send feedback tool

— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) September 7, 2022

Currently not all YouTube Free users are experiencing the “5 ads before your video starts” situation, so it seems like YouTube is currently testing out the waters among selected YouTube Free users. As of now, most users of YouTube Free are only receiving up to 2 ads before their video starts, but it is not known whether the “5-ad format” change will be rolled out to all YouTube Free users soon.

Lastly, YouTube reiterates that if both Free and Premium users have any feedback regarding YouTube’s ad policy, users can always send feedback directly to the company via the “Send Feedback” tool on the company’s video-sharing platform.

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