Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Google wants to make YouTube Premium more affordable for couples

Add as a preferred source on Google
YouTube Premium on iPhone.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Google is testing out a YouTube Premium tier designed for two people, especially for couples living in India, France, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

The company confirmed its plans to test the new YouTube Premium tier on Monday, according to finance outlet MoneyControl. The tier will allow two people in the same Google family group to access everything YouTube Premium has to offer, including zero ads, at a more affordable price than they would if each person had a separate YouTube Premium account or are part of a family plan for five people.

Recommended Videos

In India, the monthly cost two-person YouTube Premium tier Rs 219, while the family version costs Rs 299. That’s equivalent to $2.60 USD and $3.55 USD, respectively, which is not exactly the best comparison to make. Although the actual cost of family tier of YouTube Premium is $22.99 a month, the two-person tier would be in the neighborhood of $16 a month if it gets offered in the U.S.

YouTube said they’re testing the two-person YouTube Premium tier in an effort to expand subscription offerings for its users at a great value, which comes a month after millions of YouTube Premium users experienced a price hike on their subscriptions after paying low costs for a decade. Individual plans jumped from $11.99 a month to $13.99 a month, while annual plans increased from $119.99 to $139.99, and student plans ticked up to $7.99 a month from $6.99. The student plan costs that same as YouTube Premium Lite, which launched in March.

The two-person YouTube Premium tier not only benefits couples, but college roommates, friends, and even single parents of teens can take advantage of that plan, helping each other save money when one of them can’t otherwise afford a Premium plan of their own. It’s unknown when that tier will be rolled out to the U.S., as testing has only just begun in the aforementioned regions.

Cristina Alexander
Gaming/Mobile Writer
Cristina Alexander is a gaming and mobile writer at Digital Trends. She blends fair coverage of games industry topics that…
I’m already surrounded by AI. I don’t need ChatGPT living beside my bed
No, OpenAI. I don’t want your ChatGPT speaker.
Apple HomePod 2023

AI is all around us now. From your phone to home appliances, it practically sits everywhere--and it might just get a lot more intimate. A recent report claims OpenAI and Jony Ive are working on a small, screenless AI speaker shaped somewhat like a doughnut. It could be battery-powered, portable enough to carry around the house, and packed with microphones, cameras, sensors, speakers, lights, and even moving parts.

It sounds like someone finally decided the Amazon Echo needed eyes and a personality. And not to be too negative, the idea of a "ChatGPT"-powered hardware really doesn't sound so great.

Read more
Sony WH-1000XM4C leak hints at a cheaper take on the iconic XM4, and it’s coming soon
The upcoming headphones could retain the beloved foldable design while undercutting the flagship XM6.
Man wearing Sony WH-1000XM4 ANC Headphones on public transportation.

Sony may not be done with the WH-1000XM4 just yet. According to a fresh leak via Billbil-kun, the company is preparing to launch the Sony WH-1000XM4C, a more affordable version of its hugely popular noise-canceling headphones. The upcoming model is expected to arrive in early September, with pricing reportedly set at €249.99 in Europe and £219.99 in the UK, making it significantly cheaper than the flagship WH-1000XM6.

A familiar design with a lower price

Read more
OpenAI’s first gadget sounds like a tiny expressive AI companion
The device will have a doughnut-shaped body, built-in cameras, and moving parts
OpenAI press image

For months, reports have suggested that OpenAI’s first hardware product would be a screen-free smart speaker designed to act more like an AI companion. We already knew it could understand its surroundings, be carried around the home, and proactively help users. A new Bloomberg report now gives us a clearer picture of what the device may actually look like.

As per the report, OpenAI’s first gadget will be shaped like a doughnut and measure about the same size as a hockey puck. You will be able to carry it between rooms or leave it nearby on whatever surface is convenient. The device is expected to be on the expensive side, as the company has pondered pricing it around $300 to $400. A release is currently planned for 2027.

Read more