Free YouTube Music plan will lose several features
Google's current music streaming service is YouTube Music. Earlier this month, Google announced that the ability to play music in the background will appear on its free plan, but there's a big spoonful of honey in that barrel of honey - new restrictions are being introduced for users of the free YouTube Music plan.
The no music selection at will and unlimited skipping makes YouTube Music more like free Spotify accounts, in which mobile devices do not allow you to select specific songs (you can only shuffle albums or playlists) and also limit the number of clicks on the "Skip" button. The ability to view YouTube Music videos will also disappear for free accounts.
Here are all the features available to free YouTube Music accounts after the changes take effect:
- Listen to music in the background
- Play personalized mixes in shuffle mode
- Search for "mood" mixes, such as for workouts, commutes, etc.
- Search for songs and playlists
And here are the features that will require a paid YouTube Music subscription:
- Listen to music on demand (e.g., not in random order, but in albums)
- Watch YouTube Music videos
- Unlimited track skipping
- No ads
Changes will start on Canada November 3, the same day that free background playback is available. Google says it will "keep everyone updated on plans to expand the new rates to the rest of the world."
Source: google, xda-developers
Illustration: phonearena
