Kamis, 20 November 2014

YouTube Music Key Beta released: here's how to get it


This week Google released YouTube Music Key Beta, and this afternoon, Beta invites are being sent to users throughout the United States. Though it was originally assumed that only Google Music All Access subscribers would receive invitations to join the party at first, we've seen invites sent to all manner of users just this morning. If you're invited, you'll know it - what you might not know is what the difference is between standard YouTube Music and the subscriber model. It's not exactly obvious right off the bat.


The first thing you're going to want to do today is update YouTube. This update is only on Android devices right this minute, and it does not require that you have Android 5.0 Lollipop. We've seen this update arrive on devices running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, Android 4.4 KitKat, and Android 5.0 Lollipop as well.


1. Ad-Free Music Videos

The first and most apparent place you might realize you're either IN or OUT of the Music Key Beta is right below the video itself - there's a little icon. If you're not in the Beta, you'll see the Music Key red note logo. If you're in, you'll see a symbol that says 'Ad-Free'.



This symbol doesn't appear everywhere, but it WILL appear in most music videos. You might also see some major crack-downs on the posting of unlicensed music videos on YouTube in the near future as well, mind you.


2. Music Video Downloads (Save for Offline)

Subscribers to YouTube Music Key will be able to download videos for offline viewing. If you see this download symbol, you're already in. You can also tap the menu icon on a Music Video in a playlist and locate this same option.



Saving for offline allows you to choose between several resolutions. If you're all about the music and not the video itself, it's probably best you choose the lowest resolution as it'll be the smallest file.


3. Background Listening

Unlike in the past, where mobile devices needed to keep their displays on to listen to the audio from a YouTube video, 'Background Listening' has been activated for YouTube Music Key. This system can be activated or de-activated in YouTube Settings.



It's in Settings that you'll also notice an Internal Storage setting - here we've got 17.72GB left in this HTC One M8. That storage size is based on the device you've got, not on YouTube's download limits.


4. Invite or Join

Once you download the newest version of YouTube - or update, rather - you may find the following screen staring back at you. If you do, tap it immediately. You'll want to get in on this YouTube Music Key Beta as quick as possible - it wont be free forever.



The first few weeks (originally thought to be months) of YouTube Music Key will be free for those chosen to be part of the Beta release. After that, YouTube Music Key will be released to the public and will have a monthly subscription fee.



UPDATE: You can also access YouTube Music Key through YouTube at http://ift.tt/1wmJcjN. There you'll be asked to sign up for billing.


You won't be billed until January 3rd, 2015, but you'll get access immediately. The price of YouTube Music Key Beta access is $7.99 a month.


At this time it's not entirely clear what will happen for those users that'd been given an invite but did not agree to start paying in January. We must assume at this time that they'll be given an option to pay or not come the 3rd.


Stay tuned as we find out more - and stick around for our full review, coming soon!


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