Google is preparing to introduce “YouTube Premium Lite,” a more affordable subscription tier aimed at users who primarily watch non-music content. This new plan is expected to launch soon in several regions, including Australia, Germany, Thailand, and the United States.
The Premium Lite plan will provide an ad-free experience for the majority of videos, with the exception of music content. Nevertheless, it will not include features such as idle playback, remote downloads, or access to YouTube Music Premium.
The new tier is intended to appeal to an audience that predominantly consumes content other than music videos, as reported by Bloomberg. The publication did not specify the anticipated pricing for this new tier; however, it is expected to concentrate on how-to videos and ad-free podcasts.
In 2021, YouTube conducted a demonstration of a version of Premium Lite that was devoid of advertisements in select European countries. However, it seems that the video streaming giant has updated the concept, as at least one user has reported a new version with restricted advertisements.
Although the video-streaming giant has not officially disclosed its pricing information, a user in Australia has reported that YouTube Premium Lite is priced at AUD 8.99 per month, which is substantially less than the standard Premium price of AUD 16.99.
Additionally, YouTube spokesperson Paul Pennington verified in his statement that the company is currently conducting a trial of a new YouTube Premium service that will render the majority of videos ad-free.
“We’re hoping to expand this offering to even more users in the future with our partners’ support,” said Pennington, expressing hopes to expand this offering to more users in the future, pending partner support.