Google has officially launched YouTube Premium in South Africa.
The software powerhouse had initially said that it was focussing on music, but the subscription to YouTube Premium has been rolled out to South Africans.
The launching and rebranding of the service
In November 2014, the service originally launched as Music Key.
This service offered subscribers ad-free music streaming and music video streaming on Google Music and YouTube.
It then rebranded as YouTube Red in October 2015, guaranteed ad-free streaming of all YouTube videos.
The software powerhouse then made an announcement in February 2018 that YouTube Red would expand to 100 countries.
It rebranded again to YouTube Premium on 22 May 2018.
In addition to YouTube Premium, YouTube Music Premium was launched, which offered the same ad-free service as Music Key.
Streaming on YouTube Music Premium would, however, come at a lower subscription fee than the full Premium package.
YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium were first launched in the United States of America, South Korea and Australia.
What are the features of YouTube Music Premium?
The key features of YouTube Music Premium include; ad-free streaming of music on YouTube and on Google Play Music as well as downloading songs and videos for offline listening.
Subscribers can also now stream music in the background while using other applications on their phone.
In addition to this, subscribers can listen to music on their Google Home or Chromecast Audio.
Google states that it supports indigenous South African languages, which means that South Africans can search in languages such as isiZulu and isiXhosa.
Subscribers can further use emojis, lyrics and song descriptions to find the track on YouTube Music Premium.
What are the key features of YouTube Premium?
The key features of YouTube Premium include; streaming ad-free videos and downloading videos and playlists to watch offline.
In addition, background streaming of videos is a feature, which enables you to stream while using other applications, or if your screen is off.
It also includes a free subscription to YouTube Music Premium.
YouTube Premium’s family subscription covers up to six people in the family.
The members, however, need to be 13 and older and have a Google account. These members also have to live in the same household as the holder of the main account.
What are the costs?
YouTube Music’s ad-supported version is free.
YouTube Music Premium is available for R59.99 a month with the family plan going for R89.99 per month.
A free trial is also available.
YouTube Premium is available for R71.99 per month while the family plan goes for R109.99 per month.
