The rumours were true: Google has revealed a paid subscription service for YouTube. And yes, that means ad-free videos are finally a thing.
Touted as "the ultimate YouTube experience", YouTube Red provides members with access to all of YouTube's videos without those super-annoying ads, and also allows users to save videos for offline viewing to their phone or tablet. How much? $9.99 a month. So, hopefully, around 6.50 in UK money.
The other big, big news? (My god, it's practically huge.) Videos will now continue to play audio in the background so YouTube Red will let you listen to all that lovely music hidden away on YouTube while doing other important stuff on your phone or tablet. Like checking your Facebook, or looking at pictures of cute animals on the internet.
The membership benefits don't stop there, however. A YouTube Red account will work across multiple devices, and multiple apps including the recently-launched YouTube Gaming and Kids apps, and the all-new YouTube Music app, which will be launching soon' according to Google's blog. It seems that Spotify and Apple Music are squarely in Google's sights.
OMG! PewDiePie
Steady, though. It's about to get even more exciting. From 2016, YouTube Red will provide member-only access to new, original shows and movies dubbed "Originals" from "YouTube's biggest creators". Yes, that means PewDiePie. PewDiePie will be starring in Scare PewDiePie a reality-adventure series crafted by the minds responsible for hit show The Walking Dead, in which the near-legendary YouTube gaming hero "encounters terrifying situations inspired by his favourite video games". No, we are not making this up. Check out the other forthcoming shows here.
Google, ever the tease, is currently restricting the service to the US, with all those lucky people across the pond getting a free one-month trial of the service from 28 October. There's no date for YouTube Music as yet, but we'll keep you posted.
