The search engine giant is planning to offer a subscriber version of its popular video sharing service, YouTube as early as this year, which would allow viewers to see millions of videos every day. One may ask why subscribe when you can watch for free? The answer is that the YouTube Subscription Service will be without the annoying ads that come with the free service. The new service will put Google in direct competition with streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix and the revenue earned through it will be shared with video creators. This information was obtained via a Google email.

A person with knowledge about the issue said that this new service may be launched as early as the end of the year. According to Google’s email, the company will be able to create a new source of revenue with this service and it will supplement the rapidly growing advertising service. The search engine firm has gradually been making a move to charge its customers for content; a subscription-style music service was introduced by Google in November within YouTube. Furthermore, the company has also spent millions of dollars on production and talent facilities for boosting original content on YouTube, which has monthly users about 1 billion.

By offering ad-free subscriptions, the Mountain View, California-based company will come in close competition with streaming services like Hulu, Netflix and even HBO Now, which made its debut recently. All of them will be striving for the attention of the users as they spend more time watching videos on mobile devices and the web. An official statement made by Google’s YouTube said that they couldn’t reveal any information about ongoing discussions, but their priority was to offer fans with a greater choice in terms of content and give opportunities to the creators for earning revenue through their work.

While there is no confirmation regarding the timing of the service, it will offer the same videos for a monthly fee without any ads. The fee hasn’t been decided as yet. Furthermore, offline access will also be offered by this service. Content creators are being alerted by Google because it is seeking their agreement to new terms, which would allow it to add clips to the subscription service. According to analysts, people are gradually moving towards an age where they can avoid ads. They are getting used to an add-free life, thanks to services like Amazon, Netflix and DVRs.

The decision to introduce subscriptions is part of a greater shift at Google for generating revenue that isn’t based on advertising. YouTube allows its viewers to rent and buy popular movies. In 2013, the service also introduced paid channels that offer premium content. Five months ago, the Music Key Beta was rolled out, which can be used by viewers for accessing music without ads for $10 a month and also gives them offline access. Streaming services have given YouTube some competition and broken the dominance it enjoyed in the past few years, which may have prompted this change.

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