[ad_1]
![YouTube Go is dead, and you can probably blame YouTube Premium](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/51-800x289.jpg)
YouTube
YouTube Go might be not an app that lots of our US readers are aware of, given its singular give attention to the creating world, however it scored more than 500 million downloads in its six years of existence. It is also lifeless. YouTube recently announced the app will likely be shutting down this August.
YouTube Go was the herald for Google’s “subsequent billion customers” plan in 2016. Once you’re as large as Google and depend “most Web customers” as your buyer base, one of the best ways to chase development is to get extra folks on the Web. The end result was a number of “Go”-branded products, which focused low-end units with restricted Web entry. One of many largest creating markets was India.
With YouTube Go shutting down, YouTube cites enhancements in the principle YouTube app as the first cause. The corporate says the principle app has seen “improved efficiency for entry-level units or people who watch YouTube on slower networks.” YouTube says the principle app additionally has “a greater total consumer expertise [and] presents options that aren’t obtainable on YouTube Go that many have requested for—comparable to the flexibility to remark, put up, create content material, and use darkish theme.”
YouTube Go’s headline characteristic of offline video entry isn’t talked about locally put up. YouTube Go was truly a wild deviation from the traditional YouTube components, due to being focused at customers with intermittent Web entry. Even in 2016, Go customers may truly obtain and save YouTube movies for later offline viewing. The concept is that if you did not have Web entry at house, you might go to a spot with Web and obtain movies for later.
![YouTube Go could download videos for free, but now you'll have to pay.](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/chrome_Zy83IJ2XFx-980x551.png)
YouTube
In an try and make YouTube’s viral video sharing work with out the Web, you might even share these movies offline—the app may create an ad-hoc community between two YouTube Go units, permitting for native file transfers that had been manner speedier than the Web. The offline movies got here with some DRM, after all, and would self-destruct should you did not connect with the Web periodically.
YouTube says the mainline YouTube app is performant sufficient that “Go” is not crucial, however what concerning the offline video options? It doesn’t sound like these are coming again. YouTube says it’s “constructing out extra consumer controls that assist to lower cell knowledge utilization for viewers with restricted knowledge,” however that does not sound like offline utilization or sharing options.
The primary YouTube app truly does help offline movies, however that characteristic is locked behind the “YouTube Premium” paywall, and it sounds just like the plan is to extra aggressively push that to customers. YouTube Premium launched in India in 2019 at manner cheaper costs than what the corporate fees within the US. The US YouTube Premium is $12 a month, whereas in India this system is 129 rupees a month, or about $1.69. Simply 4 months in the past, Google launched yearly YouTube Premium plans in India, for 1,159 rupees ($15.20 for the entire yr).
The supply of offline movies without spending a dime through the Go app was a substantial strike in opposition to the YouTube Premium gross sales pitch, however now it seems to be like Google is, uh, “fixing” that downside.
Itemizing picture by YouTube
[ad_2]
Source link