[_cenw]

Is there any precedent at all for this? This feels more like a Netflix than a Google move. Google's consumer facing offerings have not really rubbed me the wrong way yet, except maybe the consolidation of music services into their worse one.

Ads pay near to nothing compared to a subscription. Why would they jeopardize that. Even someone who buys Premium in a country where it's exceptionally cheap makes them more money than an ad user.