YouTube Premium Lite adds background play and downloads
YouTube Premium Lite, the affordable option for (mostly) ad-free watching, is getting two major additions.
Yesterday, YouTube announced that it would be adding two exciting features to its Premium Lite subscription service. The platform has started rolling out background play and downloads to everywhere that the affordable subscription tier is available. This means users can continue playing YouTube videos while opening another app, as well as download videos to enjoy later when you go offline.
As The Verge notes, YouTube Premium Lite previously lacked these features when it landed in the US last year. Following feedback from users, the company has decided to give the people what they want. ” to more markets and heard feedback about wanting these additional features included in the service. We’re excited for today’s update and to continue testing and building products that best meet our users’ needs.”
These additions make Premium Lite a much more attractive option. You could play a workout video on YouTube, while having your interval timer app open on your phone. Or, you could catch up with the latest videos from your favourite content creators while camping out in the middle of nowhere with no phone signal. Adding these features turns Premium Lite into a more seamless and well-rounded subscription service that feels a little more worth the money.
YouTube Premium Lite costs just $7.99 per month (or £7.99 per month in England, Scotland and Wales), and offers an ad-free experience on most videos across categories including gaming, fashion, beauty, and news. However, users on this service will still get ads when watching music videos, which is still a considerable limitation.
Because of this, YouTube points out that, for a true ad-free experience and complete access to YouTube Music Premium, the full YouTube Premium subscription remains the best bet. This will cost individuals $13.99 per month, families $22.99 per month, and students $7.99 per month (verification required).
Currently, YouTube Premium Lite is available in the following locations: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and the United States.