YouTube has been planning to create an unlimited music service, but rumors of an ad-free YouTube video subscription have been floating around in the wild with no glimmer of hope.
That is changing, with Google’s plans to launch a music/video dual-service combo into one service, with one monthly price. YouTube Music Key, the unlimited music service that’s been in beta mode for nearly a year, along with an ad-free YouTube video service that lets you pay to skip ads, will cost (together) just $10 a month. It’s a two-fer that’s sure to be a win for those who’ve been paying $9.99 a month for Google’s Play Music subscription (seeing that they can now get two services for the price of one).
While Google hasn’t dispelled the plans of the new service publicly, YouTube has said that it is planning to roll out something new that will further entice the YouTube faithful. “We are progressing according to plan to provide fans more options in how they enjoy content on YouTube. We have support from the overwhelming majority of our partners, with over 95 percent of YouTube watch-time covered by agreements, and more in the pipeline about to close,” a YouTube representative told Recode.
Google has told video industry officials close to the Mountain View, California company that the price will be $10 a month for both services, and the company has even sent out emails to partners, giving them the option to either agree to the new terms or forfeit their videos to be displayed on the social video site from here on out, going forward: “If you haven’t signed by that date [Oct.2], your videos will no longer be available for public display or monetization in the United States. That outcome would be a loss for YouTube, a loss for the thriving presence you’ve built on the platform, and above all, a loss for your fans,” the email reads.
Google could place October 22nd as a placeholder here, but it could also be the day when the company launches the service. Interestingly enough, TELUS Canad has leaked October 5th as the possible Android 6.0 Marshmallow release date for Nexus 6 and Nexus 5 (2013) owners. With the company announcing the LG Nexus 5x and Huawei Nexus 6P devices this week along with Android Marshmallow, the search engine giant could announce the new service at the phones’ unveiling in San Francisco on Tuesday, September 29th.
The new ad-free/music two-fer service offering will be the first of its kind for YouTube in the company’s 10-year history.
