YouTube is planning to shake things up with its subscription service, YouTube Premium. In a recent announcement, the company hinted at introducing new plans alongside expanding existing offerings to more regions. This news comes alongside the reveal of some interesting features currently being tested for Premium subscribers.
While details are scarce, a YouTube team member known as Hazel confirmed the company’s commitment to providing “more plan options” in a community post. This could involve expanding the current lineup of Individual ($13.99/month), Family ($22.99/month), and Student ($7.99/month) plans. The post also mentioned exploring ways for subscribers to share benefits with friends, hinting at potential plan features that cater to groups.
For those already subscribed to YouTube Premium, there’s more to look forward to. An AI-powered “jump ahead” feature is making its way to iOS devices after its initial launch on Android. This feature uses artificial intelligence and viewer data to intelligently skip to the best parts of videos, saving you precious time.
Android users will also be getting a treat: the ability to watch YouTube Shorts in picture-in-picture mode, a functionality already available on competitor TikTok. This allows you to minimize the Shorts video and continue browsing YouTube or using other apps while the audio plays.
YouTube is also offering a taste of some experimental features for Premium subscribers who want to be part of the testing process. These include:
- Offline Shorts: Download batches of YouTube Shorts directly to your phone for viewing without an internet connection.
- Conversational AI assistant: Remember that AI assistant YouTube experimented with before? It’s making a comeback for testers to interact with in a more natural way.
- Redesigned desktop watch page: Get a sneak peek at a revamped desktop watch page, potentially offering a new way to navigate and interact with your YouTube content.
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