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YouTube today launches less expensive subscription packages for students wishing to take advantage of an ad-free version of YouTube or its streaming music service, YouTube Music. These new plans are the first major changes to YouTube's music subscription program since its launch last year. At that time, YouTube had also renamed its YouTube Red advertising-free YouTube Premium subscription.
For eligible students, YouTube Music Premium now costs $ 4.99 per month instead of $ 9.99 per month, and YouTube Premium is now $ 6.99 per month instead of $ 11.99 per month.
YouTube also offers a special $ 5,000 monthly promotion to YouTube Premium if students register by January 31, 2019. This award will be valid for the duration of their student membership, up to four years, says YouTube.
YouTube Music Premium competes with Spotify Premium, Apple Music, Pandora Premium and others because it offers a way to stream tracks on demand, browse playlists, get personalized recommendations, read from artists radio stations, etc. But it also addresses those who are looking for a video component in their music listening experience. And this gives access to remixes, covers, live versions and deep cuts not available elsewhere.
In addition to removing ads, the paid subscription to the music service includes support for background listening and offline access via a download feature, at the same time. like its competitors.
Upgrading to YouTube Premium then extends this ad-free experience to all YouTube videos – not just music videos – and adds access to YouTube Originals.
It is not unusual for streaming services to treat students with discounted rates. Getting young users to depend on a given service quickly can be an interesting long-term strategy, especially for apps that fit your tastes and interests over time. This makes it harder to switch to a competitor later, as you will lose your custom playlists and new music suggestions.
Spotify started offering half-price student plans five years ago, which spread worldwide in the spring of 2017. Last fall, it also offered Hulu a discounted price plan for students.
Apple Music also introduced its own student programs in 2016, similarly reducing its 50% subscription.
These movements have probably paid off in terms of growth among young adults. The number of premium subscribers of Spotify reached 83 million in the second quarter of 2018, while Apple Music broke the 50 million mark this fall.
In comparison, YouTube itself is much bigger with 1.8 billion monthly users logged in, but the company has not specified how many of them pay subscribers to YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium. However, like YouTube Red, the service only reached 1.5 million subscribers in its first year.
YouTube indicates that full-time college or university-accredited students in the United States can take advantage of the rate offered to new students. These discounts will be applied later to users in other countries. The service does not require @edu e-mail. Students can keep the account when they graduate.
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