YouTube to roll out new music service on May 22
San Francisco, May 17: YouTube is rolling out a new service "YouTube Music" on May 22 to seperate the music and film components on the Google-owned video-sharing platform.
"YouTube Music" is a mobile app and desktop player with multiple playlists, official albums and artists to prevent users from jumping back and forth between multiple apps and YouTube, the company said in a blog post.
"While users can enjoy the new ad-supported version of 'YouTube Music' for free, we're also launching 'YouTube Music Premium,' a paid membership that gives you background listening, downloads and an ad-free experience for $9.99 a month," the post added.
YouTube will release the service from May 22 in America, Australia and New Zealand and will "expand more broadly" in the coming weeks.
It is yet to be announced when it will come to India.
With the increasing penetration of smartphones, data becoming affordable and ever-growing availability of content, 80 per cent of internet users across all age-groups in India are accessing YouTube.
Touching 225 million monthly active users on mobile alone, India is one of the fastest-growing countries for the video platform, the company had said in March.
"We now have more than 300 channels with over a million subscribers, from just 16 channels in 2014. We will continue to invest in programmes to support creators, and encourage more diversity and distribution of their content," said Robert Kyncl, Chief Business Officer, YouTube.
"YouTube Music" was a part of "YouTube Red," that is the company's subscription video streaming service which was launched in November 2014.
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Adityanath govt has completely failed to maintain Taj Mahal, alleges Akhilesh
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday raised questions over maintenance of the Taj Mahal in Agra and attacked the Yogi Adityanath government saying it should be a "living and active" example, not just a "monument".
Yadav, who shared a viral video in which a plant could be seen sprouting from the dome of the Taj Mahal, said the monument might develop cracks due to the roots.
In a post on X, he said, "The BJP government and its dormant departments have completely failed to maintain the Taj Mahal, the wonder that attracts tourists from all over the world."
Yadav went on to say, "There is a possibility of rusting of the metal of the urn on the main dome. Water is dripping from the main dome. There is news of plants growing in the dome. If the roots of trees like these grow, then the Taj Mahal may crack."
He also highlighted problems of monkey menace and water logging in the Taj Mahal complex.
"The Taj Mahal complex has become a sanctuary for monkeys. There is a problem of waterlogging in the Taj Mahal complex. The tourists are worried whether they should admire the Taj Mahal or deal with the problems," Yadav said, adding due to all these reasons, the country's image is tarnished at the global level.
Last week, the main dome of the Taj witnessed water seepage due to incessant rains but officials said there was no damage to the arched roof.
Yadav asked where crores of rupees of funds that come for the maintenance of Taj Mahal are going.
"The government should be a living and active example, not just a monument," he added.
