YouTube thinks it needs to be like Netflix to get its users to spend more money ‣ Diverse Daily

Summary

YouTube reportedly plans to revamp its TV app to make it resemble Netflix more and to spotlight paid content from various streaming services on its homepage.
The Primetime Channels feature on YouTube allows users to subscribe to streaming services through the platform.
YouTube aims to integrate Primetime Channels into the app’s homepage as part of an update expected in a few months.

If you watch a lot of YouTube on your TV, that experience might be in for a significant overhaul in the next few months.

According to a new report from The Information, YouTube is planning a redesign of its TV app to make it resemble Netflix more closely. As part of this redesign effort, paid content from other streaming services via its Primetime Channel service will be featured on the app’s homepage.

“The vision is that when you come to our app and you’re looking for a show, it’ll just blend away whether that show is from a Primetime Channel or from a creator,” YouTube’s Kurt Wilms said, speaking to The Information.

YouTube

notable shows: Kitchen Nightmares, Merlin
notable movies: Clueless, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, How to Train Your Dragon, Mean Girls, Star Trek
Premium Subscription: Yes, $13.99 per month
Originals: No
Live TV: No

Now is the best time to sign up for YouTube TV

There’s so much going on that makes this the right time to sign up.

What are YouTube Primetime Channels?

Right now the feature is slightly hidden on its TV app

If you’re unfamiliar with YouTube Primetime Channels, it is quite similar to Prime Video’s Channels feature. Primetime Channels on YouTube allow you to browse content from other streaming services, such as Paramount+, Max, Crunchyroll, and more. You can subscribe to these Primetime Channels through YouTube, allowing Google to take a cut of the revenue while providing the convenience of accessing the content you want right through YouTube.

Primetime Channels can only be accessed via the Movies & TV tab on YouTube. The report from The Information highlights that this hinders users from discovering it on the TV app, prompting YouTube to temporarily halt adding new services to Primetime Channels as it seeks to make it easier to find.

YouTube’s solution is to integrate Primetime Channels directly into the homepage of its popular TV app, alongside a new redesign that resembles Netflix. Given how popular and recognizable YouTube’s app is, it’s somewhat puzzling that the company is redesigning it; hopefully, it strikes the right balance with these changes and doesn’t ruin its homepage. YouTube’s overhaul of its TV app is expected to roll out in “the next few months.”