YouTube has been looking for ways to be a preferred service for audio streaming. Its competitor, Spotify, is still far ahead, but perhaps making podcasts available in the streaming service will be enough to reel in more subscribers.
YouTube Music Podcast
The new feature, as of right now, is only available in the US. YouTube will be rolling it out gradually, so even if you are in the United States, you might not have access to it yet. This means that users won't have to open YouTube's main app just to listen to podcasts.
The audio content can be enjoyed on-demand, offline, as well as in the background. You won't even need a subscription to YoutTube's Premium plans since it's free to use for everyone. Which gives it an edge opposed to Spotify's paid subscription.
It's also easier to get to since it will have its own tab, as mentioned in The Verge, and access shows that used to only be available in the main app. Users can switch between audio and video versions of the podcast while using YouTube Music.
Podcasts have been in demand lately, and this could be a smart move to attract more users. YouTube has collectively 80 million users for YouTube Music and YouTube Premium, reports say, but it's still far from Spotify's numbers which are at 500 million monthly users.
YouTube states that the new feature will roll out to other regions soon as well, although that may be a while since they will gradually release it in the US first. The good news is, listeners can access the podcasts on iOS and Android devices, and the web.
The company won't have trouble establishing that kid, especially since YouTube already has tons of podcasts from all over the world. All that was left to do was make it available through YouTube Music and they have already done it.
What Can You Get with YouTube Music Premium
Although you don't need a subscription to YouTube Music Premium to listen to podcasts, there are still other features that you might like. For instance, you can listen to music and music videos without being bothered by ads.
Having a subscription will allow you to play music in the background, which means you won't have to keep your app open. You can download music for offline listening, and it will stay in your library for up to 30 days or until you choose to remove it.
It also comes with a Smart Downloads feature, where YouTube Music will download content based on your music preference. The audio-only mode will be made available, which means you can listen to music without having to load the video.
The benefits of a paid membership will still apply even if you are in a country or region that doesn't support YouTube Music. The music content that you have in your area will be available to you for six months while you travel, although downloaded music will still hold its 30-day limit.
