YouTube Red was officially announced today which for those unfamiliar, is basically the subscription version of YouTube where viewers get to watch videos without ads, new original content, support for offline play, and more. It also costs $9.99 a month to subscribe, which we suppose given that it’s bundled with Google Play Music makes it a pretty sweet deal.
However if you are planning on subscribing to YouTube Red via your iOS device, you might want to take note that the cost of your subscription will be higher. iOS users can expect to pay $12.99 a month for a subscription to YouTube Red and if you’re wondering why, it is because Apple takes a 30% cut from in-app purchases which also includes subscriptions.
To make up for the 30% cut, YouTube has priced iOS subscriptions higher to cover it. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen companies take issue with Apple’s cut from the iTunes App Store. The comic app comiXology removed the ability to purchase comics within the app in order to circumvent the 30% cut, and while Spotify still has the ability to subscribe via its iOS app, they are actively telling users that they can save more by subscribing via its website instead, something that iOS users should consider if they want to subscribe to YouTube Red.
That being said, YouTube Red will be kicking off in the US and those interested can sign up for a one month free trial starting from the 28th of October.
Filed in . Read more about Apps, iOS, YouTube and YouTube Red.