- Google has rolled out 30-second unskippable ads for YouTube’s TV app
- It’s another way for the company to convince more people to sign up to YouTube Premium
- Last year YouTube made more ad revenue than any of the biggest media companies
Google will stop at nothing to make you cave and succumb yourself to a YouTube Premium subscription, and its latest move could be the one thing that makes you throw in the towel — it’s now targeting YouTube’s TV app.
The company unveiled that VRC non-skip ads are now being rolled out to the TV version of the YouTube app globally, removing the option to skip ads after just a few seconds. Just like its ad-blocker and background play crackdowns for phones and laptops, Google is implementing similar measures for YouTube for TV, and it’s all because of shifting viewing habits.
As more users opt for their TVs over smartphones and other devices for YouTube viewing, it gives Google a target, allowing the company to really show you what YouTube Premium features you’re missing out on. But from Google’s announcement, it appears that its new ads system is also designed to mimic the feel of watching traditional broadcast television.
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The company details that “Google AI dynamically optimizes between 6-second Bumpers, 15-second standard and 30-second CTV-only non-skippable ad formats, ensuring your campaign reaches the right audience at the right time”, meaning that Google AI will wait to show you ads during the moments when you’re most engaged with whatever video content you’re watching. But there’s more to the strategy than meets the eye.
In 2025, YouTube made over $60 billion in revenue, $40 billion of that being from advertising. According to Business Insider ($/£), this equates more to the combined advertising revenue of Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount Skydance, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
So it’s official; YouTube is the biggest media company out there, so of course Google is taking the opportunity to generate more revenue growth from YouTube’s TV experience now that more viewers use it in a living room just as they would with the best streaming services — and I’m one of those people.
Signing up to YouTube Premium’s free trial is the best thing I’ve done
As it stands, Google has locked the most minor features into YouTube Premium which has made its free version almost unbearable to use. I’ll hold my hands up when I say I caved to the temptation of a YouTube Premium free trial and, I hate to admit it, but it’s frustratingly good.
Aside from the complete absence of ads, smaller features such as background play, continue watching, and video and audio quality makes all the difference — and it’s even better if you’re a big music buff.
Though I’m a Spotify subscriber, for me its music video integration is nowhere near YouTube’s level, and the same goes for live recorded performances, both of which I always go back to YouTube for. That said, if you’re tempted to make the most of YouTube’s music video and live shows content, then you’ll have to go whole hog with YouTube Premium as the more affordable YouTube Premium Lite just won’t cut it.
Recently YouTube added background play and downloads to its cheaper plan, but once again left out the music benefits, which includes access to the YouTube Music streaming platform and ad-free viewing on music content (i.e. music videos). But if this isn’t a priority for you, Premium Lite should be enough to suffice if all you want is majority ad-free viewing.
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rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies)
