Google Plans To Launch Standalone YouTube Subscription In THIS Nation | Know-how Information
Seoul: Google plans to launch a standalone premium subscription plan for YouTube video streaming with out the music streaming element in South Korea, as a part of a voluntary corrective measure to handle its alleged anti-competitive follow, the nation’s antitrust regulator stated on Tuesday. The standalone product, dubbed YouTube Premium Lite, might be almost half the value of the at the moment present YouTube Premium plan, which bundles each video and music streaming options, in response to the Honest Commerce Fee (FTC), reviews Yonhap Information Company.
Android customers can subscribe to YouTube Premium Lite for 8,500 received (US$6.15) per 30 days, whereas the month-to-month worth for iOS customers was set at 10,900 received, the FTC stated, noting the costs are cheaper in contrast with equal YouTube subscription plans in six different international locations, together with the USA and Britain.
The brand new subscription plan was proposed as Google’s corrective motion plan to handle its anti-competitive follow of bundling YouTube Music with the video streaming platform’s ad-free premium subscription service.
Following Google’s launch of such a product in 2020, the FTC started an investigation into the U.S. tech big’s alleged violation of Korea’s honest commerce guidelines in 2023.
The FTC has accused Google of successfully forcing shoppers to subscribe to each companies, limiting choices for individuals who could have solely wished entry to ad-free video streaming, thereby limiting client alternative and abusing its market dominance.
Somewhat than pursuing a protracted authorized battle, Google has submitted a corrective motion plan of launching a standalone video streaming subscription plan beneath the FTC’s process referred to as a “consent resolution.” The mechanism permits the FTC to droop its investigation if the corporate voluntarily proposes measures that tackle the alleged client hurt.
The FTC stated it plans to gather opinions from related ministries and stakeholders over a 30-day interval till Aug. 14 earlier than making a last resolution on whether or not to simply accept Google’s proposal.
If the FTC endorses the proposal, Google plans to launch the YouTube Premium Lite plan by the top of this yr.
Beneath the proposal, Google stated it would freeze the value for YouTube Premium Lite and YouTube Premium for a minimum of one yr to decrease the monetary burden on its customers.
The U.S. firm additionally stated it would create a 15 billion-won fund to assist the expansion of the Korean music business by discovering new artists and serving to their participation in abroad music festivals.
