Google should start think twice when choosing a name for your platforms. In recent years, many of its services have not only changed their name (Google Wallet> Android Pay> Google Pay to name one of the most recent examples), but in addition to changing the name, it is dedicated to mixing some of its functions so in the end the user is never clear about what it really offers us.
YouTube Red was the first attempt from the search giant to launch an ad-free YouTube subscription in addition to being able to access exclusive content on the platform as well as unlimited, ad-free access to Google Play Music, but until now, the idea was not appealing to most users which has forced the company to rethink the idea with a new name and service change: YouTube Music and YouTube Premium.
YouTube Music service is now all music, is the equivalent of Spotify or Apple Music, without any ads. In addition, it allows us ad-free access to the music videos available on the YouTube video platform. YouTube Music will offer us personalized playlists based on the data that Google / YouTube has of our likes, lists that will be based on Artificial Intelligence. However, if we want to enjoy the entire video platform without ads, this is not the plan we are looking for. Fortunately, this new plan will allow us download audio from YouTube.
YouTube Premium. It offers us full access to YouTube Music, but also allows us to enjoy all the content available on the platform without any ad, in addition to access to original content created only for subscribers of this service. At the moment, the main attraction of YouTube Premium is the Cobra Kai series, a series based on the same characters from Karate Kid 30 years later.
YouTube Music and YouTube Premium pricing
Access to the entire YouTube Music music catalog is priced at $ 9,99, while access to the entire music catalog along with original YouTube content and without ads, is priced at 11,99 euros. Google wants to dive into the world of streaming original content to be an alternative to Netflix, HBO, Hulu and the streaming video service both Apple and Disney plan to launch sometime next year.
What will happen to Google Play Music?
The company has not commented on the matter, but it is most likely that this service change its name to YouTube Music. This is Google's second chance to try to get its head into the world of streaming music, a world that doesn't make a lot of money as Apple and Spotify acknowledge due to small margins, but the Mountain View-based company It wants to launch convergent offerings in order to subtract users from both services, a strategy that Apple will probably also follow when it launches its streaming video service.
YouTube Music and YouTube Premium availability
Both services will start operate next Tuesday in the United States, but according to the company, soon it will also be available in Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom although throughout 2018 they will go adding new countries.