YouTube Originals will be free to watch starting on September 24th
Earlier this year, YouTube promised to make its original shows — exclusive to paying Premium members at the moment — available to the public as ad-supported programming. Now, the Google subsidiary is staying true to its word and making all original series, movies and live events released on September 24th and beyond accessible to non-paying members.
Premium subscribers will still enjoy the better viewing experience, of course. They won’t have to sit through any ads, and they’ll get immediate access to every episode in a show’s new season. Plus, they’re the only ones who can enjoy director’s cuts and bonus scenes whenever they’re available. Non-paying members will have to wait for each episode in a series to be released to the public. Still, that’s not a bad compromise for those who don’t want to pay $12 a month to watch the platform’s original programs.
YouTube has also added a handful of new features to Premium subscription. The new “Recommended downloads” section in its app’s Library tab could make it easier to find interesting videos to download. It’s now also possible to switch between a song and a music video with the tap of a button. Finally, Android users can now automatically download up to 500 songs from their Liked Songs list and other playlists.
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