YouTube is reportedly preparing to enter the subscription service management business. Over the last year or two, the influx of streaming services have resulted in what’s commonly referred to as ‘subscriber fatigue.’ In retaliation, some companies have looked at ways in which they can help consumers manage their subscriptions, and it appears YouTube might be next.
Amazon, Apple and Roku already all offer the option to subscribe to third-party streaming services through their platforms. From the user’s perspective, they simply sign up to the new service and just pay the platform (who they already have an account and payment type set up with) and then the platform owner takes care of the rest, including taking and passing on the payment. It is an easy route for those who would prefer a single place to manage all of their streaming services and it can be lucrative for the platform in question.
In a new report by The information which cites “people familiar with the situation” for the details, Google and YouTube are considering adding the option for users to subscribe to streaming services through YouTube. The report goes as far as to suggest, YouTube has already engaged with talks with various streaming companies, although does point out that no firm decision has been made yet.
YouTube expanding its presence in the streaming market
The suggestion YouTube might get into subscription management makes sense. After all, YouTube itself is a streaming service and also has a subscription tier available for those who want an ad-free experience and the option to download. Then there’s the whole YouTube TV element which is not only another subscription service, but also one that seems to be doing very well for the company. While they are Google and YouTube’s own services, offering the option to manage other subscriptions further cements users in the Google and YouTube ecosystems.
Adding to this, Google is already well-positioned to make this happen. Most of the streaming apps used by Android device owners will be downloaded through the Google Play Store and that’s a place where Google has already toyed with subscription services. As is to be expected, adding the option to the video-sharing platform will help YouTube to generate even more in revenue as this type of arrangement typically results in a cut being taken by the company making the subscription possible. In this case, YouTube.
Source: The Information
