YouTube’s supposed music subscription service is still being worked on—that’s the word from sources speaking with Billboard. However, delays have hit the upcoming service because executives haven’t decided on a final design. Not only that, but YouTube wants to ensure the service is competitive from the outset rather than slowly being beefed up with compelling features throughout the year.
YouTube, which originally planned to launch its on-demand music streaming service late last year, has pushed its debut to the second quarter or beyond. The deferment is caused by the online video company’s desire to “get it right,” according to an executive briefed on YouTube’s plans. Under contracts that its parent company Google signed a year ago with major labels, YouTube already has the necessary licenses to operate a paid music service similar to Spotify or Rhapsody. YouTube’s cautiousness is a departure from the way Google typically introduces products.
Wait…so to compel users into subscription, will they be curtailing the free streaming?