In recent years, “YouTube” is a video distribution platform that utilizes the Internet environment and has gained high support from a wide range of generations, regardless of age or gender. The number of YouTube users is increasing year by year, and popular YouTubers are appearing one after another and attracting attention, and from among the huge number of distributed videos specialized in various genres, you can find videos that match your interests. You can select and enjoy the videos delivered regardless of time or place. YouTube has many users and has grown into one of the world’s leading video distribution sites.
One of the services offered by YouTube is an innovative service called YouTube Premium. There are probably many YouTube users who say, “I use YouTube almost every day, but I don’t know much about YouTube Premium.”
In this article, we will introduce in detail the features of YouTube Premium, the costs involved in actually using it, and the advantages and disadvantages of using YouTube Premium, starting with the question “What is YouTube Premium?”
What is YouTube Premium?
YouTube Premium is one of the services provided by YouTube, a popular video distribution platform. Basically, there is no cost to use YouTube, and it is possible to enjoy videos distributed for free, so there are many users and it is popular among people of all ages and genders. The number of accesses to YouTube has been increasing year by year, and it has become so popular that it ranks next to Google search, which boasts the world’s top market share, indicating its growing popularity worldwide. On YouTube, you can not only stream and watch videos, but also subscribe to channels of your favorite streamed videos, create playlists, use the comment section to display comments to video streaming users, and rate the videos you watch. It also plays a major role as a communication tool between users.
YouTube Premium, which was launched in 2018, is a subscription service that further expands on these services, improves convenience for users, and provides content that allows users to enjoy YouTube to the fullest. In 2014, a service called “YouTube Music Key”, which is called the predecessor of YouTube Premium, already existed, but YouTube Premium was born as the new face of YouTube with various content updates and changes to famous places. It is.
YouTube Premium differs from the general usage method of YouTube in that it allows you to use additional content by paying a monthly fee. We will explain usage fees in detail later, but when using YouTube Premium, there is a trial period in which the first month of use is free, so you can start using YouTube Premium with confidence. Please remember that you can also do this.
YouTube Premium with various features
YouTube Premium expands on YouTube’s popular service with a variety of features. From here, we will explain in detail what characteristics it actually has.
Monthly fee system
A feature of YouTube Premium is that it has a monthly fee system, unlike regular YouTube where there are no fees. By paying the set plan fee, you can use extensions to enjoy YouTube even more, allowing you to use a variety of content more comfortably. Users can enjoy many benefits by pursuing even more fun on YouTube and maximizing the functionality of available content. It differentiates itself from regular YouTube and allows you to experience a special feeling.
Advertisements are not delivered
When watching YouTube, advertisements are often posted in the middle of videos. . There are various types of advertisements that are distributed, including advertisements that can be skipped during ad distribution and advertisements that cannot be skipped at all. Many users may have had the experience of having an ad appear on the screen during a good scene in a streamed video or a scene that the user was paying attention to, interrupting the video they were enjoying and causing their mood to deteriorate. This is an unavoidable problem when using YouTube. However, YouTube Premium eliminates ad serving and solves all these problems. Ad distribution is short-lived, but it may be frustrating for users who use YouTube frequently. By not distributing advertisements, it is possible to create a stress-free and more comfortable video viewing environment.
Offline playback available
It has an offline playback function that allows you to temporarily save your favorite videos. When you download a video with YouTube Premium, the video is saved on your device. In fact, YouTube does not have an offline playback function, and viewing videos is limited to streaming playback only. However, with YouTube Premium, you can download YouTube videos in advance, so you can watch your favorite YouTube videos offline regardless of time or place, without having to worry about communication charges, and even when the Internet is not available. You can watch it. For example, you will be able to enjoy YouTube with friends and family in a new way even in outdoor situations such as deep in the mountains where there is no signal. As the opportunities for video viewing expand, the way we enjoy entertainment with friends and family will change dramatically.
In addition, when saving videos for offline playback, there is a convenient function that allows the user to select the image quality of the downloaded video, and there are actually three resolutions that can be selected: 720p, 480p, and 360p. I am. It functions conveniently according to the user’s purpose for using videos, such as “I want to enjoy videos in high quality” or “I want to reduce the image quality and save storage space because I want to use videos as background music.”
Background playback available
Even if you are using an app other than YouTube or your device screen is locked, the background playback feature allows you to enjoy YouTube videos without interruption. In general, YouTube has restrictions such as the playback of the video being interrupted when you transition from the video viewing page to another page, and you cannot use it in conjunction with other apps while watching the video, or when the device is on the lock screen. The system does not allow video playback. In fact, when using YouTube as a GBM, some users may have experienced that their smartphone was locked in their pocket or bag and the video they were watching was interrupted. The background playback function allows you to enjoy YouTube videos as if you were listening to a radio station, and allows you to listen to videos while doing other tasks.
Enjoy popular content YouTube Music Premium
You will also be able to use paid services such as “YouTube Music Premium” provided by YouTube. YouTube Music Premium’s main genre is music-specific distribution, so it has a lot of content that is irresistible for music lovers. If you are a YouTube Premium member, you can easily enjoy over 70 million songs and music videos without incurring any additional fees. It has enough content to satisfy even users who use regular YouTube for listening to music on a daily basis, and it feels like a good deal because it can be used in conjunction with paid content. If you use YouTube Music in general, you will see advertisements, but if you use it as a YouTube Premium member, there will be no additional charge, you can use paid content, and there will be no advertisements, so you can enjoy a comfortable experience. Usage is guaranteed.
Maximize your enjoyment of YouTube Originals
YouTube Premium also allows you to use services such as “YouTube Originals.” YouTube Originals is a service that allows users to watch video content created through collaboration between YouTube and creators. It is characterized by the distribution of videos of various genres, including movies and dramas. In fact, you can enjoy watching videos with the free version, but there are restrictions on the range of videos that can be viewed, the period of access to the videos, and the display of advertisements. By using YouTube Premium, you can stress-freely enjoy original works that can only be enjoyed with YouTube Originals.
YouTube Premium pricing plan
As mentioned above, you need to pay a monthly fee to use YouTube Premium. YouTube requires free membership registration to use some services such as commenting, channel registration, and video ratings, but there are basically no costs for watching videos, and you can use the provided content for free. . On the other hand, YouTube Premium has the feature that you can pay a set monthly fee and use expanded services. There are three plans available for monthly fees, and users can select the plan that suits them and start YouTube Premium. If the price setting is limited to one, people tend to hesitate when thinking about using it, but it can be said that the reason why it is gaining popularity is that it allows users to select the price plan from the user’s perspective. . From here, we will introduce the pricing plans that are actually available below.
- Regular plan / monthly fee: 1,180 yen
∟This is the most basic plan offered by YouTube Premium. The actual content of the plan is that one user can use all contents per contract. At YouTube Premium, membership campaigns are sometimes held for a limited time, and advantageous campaigns such as the first month of monthly fees are free and trial periods of up to 6 months are held irregularly, so YouTube If you are considering using Premium, we recommend that you choose your membership period wisely.
Also, there is often information that it is not possible to cancel the subscription during the free trial period, but with YouTube Premium, it is possible to cancel the subscription during the free trial registration period. Even if you cancel your subscription during the free period, you will not be charged any charges, so you can enjoy the YouTube Premium trial with peace of mind.
In addition to cancellation procedures, we also offer services such as temporary suspension of usage. All data will be lost during the cancellation procedure, but there is a function that preserves various data used within the service without erasing it, so please use it once before proceeding with the cancellation procedure. Why not try it?
- Family plan / monthly fee: 1,780 yen
∟This is a great plan for families. Up to 5 users from the same household can register for one subscription and can share all YouTube Premium content. By using it as a family, you will be able to share entertainment time, create topics for conversation and daily life, and make your family time and time at home even more fulfilling. Family members will also be able to access paid content using their Google Accounts. Therefore, when you register for YouTube Premium, you are considered a family member, but in reality they are linked to each individual’s Google account, so the videos and services you watch are managed as private data for you and other family members. Please keep in mind that it will not be shared with other members.
- Student discount plan / monthly fee: 680 yen
∟YouTube Premium has a student discount plan that provides generous support to students. It is highly recommended for student users as it is much cheaper than the regular plan. The student discount plan requires that you have a history of enrollment at a higher education institution, and the discount plan will be applied for up to 4 years. However, please note that the enrollment confirmation procedure for higher education institutions must be updated every year.
Advantages and disadvantages of using YouTube Premium
Although YouTube Premium functions conveniently in a variety of ways, its advantages and disadvantages vary depending on how users view it and their usage patterns. From here, we will explain the advantages and disadvantages of using it.
Advantages of use
As mentioned above, one of the benefits of using YouTube Premium is that it does not serve ads. Advertisement distribution on YouTube is inseparable, and advertisements are distributed frequently on YouTube in general. By using YouTube Premium, heavy users who make full use of YouTube in their daily lives can enjoy watching videos stress-free and free from advertising. Although the advertisement is only a few seconds long, the more videos you watch, the more time you will spend on advertising. When you convert ad distribution time into monthly or yearly terms, you realize that it consumes a huge amount of time.
In addition, by making it possible to use all the benefits that are not available on general YouTube, such as background playback function, offline playback, and other original services specialized in music, movies, and dramas, YouTube’s usage area It is expected to expand rapidly, doubling the amount of fun that cannot be enjoyed with the regular version, and greatly improving the convenience of use.
Disadvantages of use
I feel that there are relatively few disadvantages to using YouTube Premium, but the biggest bottleneck is that it is paid content. Basically, YouTube is a service that can be enjoyed for free, so many users may feel reluctant to pay for the service itself.
Heavy users who use YouTube every day can use an extended service that covers YouTube by paying a specified fee, so few users feel resistant to the monthly fee itself, and on the contrary, see it as an advantage. The majority will be users. On the other hand, for light users who don’t care about ad distribution at all and are satisfied with regular YouTube, many users may find the price plans provided to be expensive and view them as a disadvantage. In addition to the currently available content, when there are major changes within YouTube, such as the introduction of new groundbreaking services or restrictions on the scope of use, light users will likely be born who will see the benefits again. .
summary
In this article, we have explained the various features, costs involved in actually using it, and the advantages and disadvantages of using it, starting with “What is YouTube Premium?” We found that the use of extensions on YouTube Premium differentiates itself and further improves the enjoyment and convenience of using YouTube. As the 5G environment steadily improves, it is expected that new content will be added to YouTube Premium. YouTube Premium still attracts many fans and attracts worldwide attention, and we can expect great growth in the future.