YouTube has announced that it is looking to release YouTube Red in the UK and other European countries.
First launched in the US in October 2015, YouTube Red is set to be available in the UK in 2017. The launch date hasn’t yet been confirmed, but YouTube is expected to make an announcement in the coming months after negotiations with various rights-holders.
According to the Telegraph, however, the launch “is not a certainty and is dependent on signing deals with music labels”.
YouTube has previously faced criticism from YouTube creators over the service’s payment method, which is decided by watch time rather than by the videos viewed by a user. YouTube posted a blog shortly after the US release to explain in more depth how YouTube Red would work for creators.
YouTube Red is currently available in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and South Korea. The service allows users to watch videos ad-free and to download content onto their smartphones to watch offline or in the background.
It also offers users original shows and videos from independent filmmakers, and comes with a bundled subscription to Google Play Music. The service is expected to cost £9.99 per month for UK users.
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