YouTube jumps into ed-tech with launch of Player for Education

YouTube also unveiled a host of new tools for learners and creators making educational content on the platform, including free and paid courses and quizzes. (Shutterstock/File)
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Updated 09 September 2022
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YouTube jumps into ed-tech with launch of Player for Education

  • The platform will offer distraction-free educational content
  • The company, which will initially launch in the US and South Korea, did not say when it will arrive in the Middle East

LONDON: YouTube announced on Thursday it is launching Player for Education, a new ad- and recommendation-free platform for educational content.

The new embedded video player designed for educational content apps will help viewers “avoid distractions” and provide them with an “in-depth, structured learning” experience.

“To improve the YouTube experience in educational environments, we’re launching YouTube Player for Education — a new YouTube embedded player that shows content on commonly used education apps without distractions like ads, external links or recommendations,” the company said in a statement.

YouTube added it is partnering with selected ed-tech companies in the earliest rollout phase including Edpuzzle, Purdue University, Purdue Global and Google Classroom.

The company said it will initially launch the platform in the US and South Korea, but is planning to extend it to other countries as well. YouTube did not disclose when Player for Education will arrive in the Middle East, where the ed-tech market currently values at around $4 billion.

YouTube also unveiled a host of new tools for learners and creators making educational content on the platform, including free and paid courses and quizzes, which will enable creators to help viewers test their knowledge in an interactive way.

“For example, a math creator who recently posted a series on algebra can create a quiz on the ‘Community’ tab to ask their viewers a question related to a concept taught in their latest video,” YouTube said in its blog.

Although quizzes are going to be rolled out in the coming months, courses are expected to launch in early 2023 and viewers will be able to purchase them directly in-app.

The company has not revealed how much the new service will cost but said that for the first two years all sales of its new service will be distributed to creators whose videos will be shown in schools.

Player for Education is not YouTube’s first venture into the educational sector. In the last few years, the video-streaming platform promoted a number of initiatives including a $20 million fund for creators making educational videos.

YouTube move is part of a bigger effort by its parent company Alphabet to further tap into the educational sector expected to be worth more than $400 billion by 2025.


Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

Updated 24 December 2025
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Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

  • Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month

RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.

The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience. 

Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.

“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”

With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.

The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.

Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”

The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”

Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”

He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”