Google has dropped a bombshell on YouTube TV subscribers with a considerable price hike that brings the cost to more double the original asking price.
From next month the live TV streaming service, which arrived as a much more affordable alternative to cable and satellite television, will cost $72.99 from next month (plus taxes), which is up from the $64.99 the company has been charging since it last increased the price in 2020.
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The service launched in 2017 for $34.99 a month, making it a massively attractive alternative to the hegemony of the cable and satellite providers. Now, there’s very little difference in the prices.
The email to subscribers on Thursday blamed the increase in wholesale content costs, with Google saying the hike was necessary to maintain the quality of the streaming service that’s regarded by many (including Trusted Reviews) as the gold standard.
“As content costs have risen and we continue to invest in the quality of our service, we are updating our price to keep bringing you the best possible service,” the company said.
Indeed, prices have increased, but Google also just paid the NFL $2 billion to acquire the Sunday Ticket package. We’d imagine the price increase is to pay for that. Google is yet to announce how much the package will cost the public to buy.
“We hope YouTube TV continues to be your service of choice, but we also understand that some members may want to cancel their service,” it added, before providing users with a link. That link is here, if you fancy calling it a day.
While the service may not have seen an increase in almost three years, it comes at a time when lost of the major streaming services have increased their prices.
While live TV – especially live sports – is still highly prized, this increase might be the cue YouTube TV subscribers need to look elsewhere and drop their dependence on traditional channels.
If there was to be a silver lining, Google is halving the price of the 4K Extra add-on, which provides limited access to 4K content, Dolby 5.1 audio and the ability to download content for offline viewing. It was $19.99. Now it’s $9.99.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
