Rumor: YouTube postpones arrival of music service

YouTube is said to have postponed its plans to release a music service. Parent company Google would need more time to work out the service properly. The music service may be released this quarter, but it could be later.

That is according to Billboard sources at YouTube. Although the necessary licenses for a music service have already been negotiated, a postponement has still been chosen. According to Billboard sources, Google would like to “polish” the service before it becomes available to the general public. The internet giant would, among other things, think about how the music service should be integrated with the existing video service. In addition, it is not yet clear how to monetize an audience accustomed to free content, according to Billboard.

Earlier, rumors indicated that Google was planning to release a music service with YouTube in December or January. For the time being, it was unclear which factors had caused the postponement. According to the new rumors, there is a chance that the music service from YouTube will be released this quarter. However, it is also possible that a further postponement is chosen.

A YouTube music service could compete with existing music streaming services such as Spotify and Rdio. Both services recently started offering free unlimited listening.