More clues emerge about YouTube's music streaming service

Hidden code in the latest Android app provides new information as to what to expect from YouTube's music streaming service, including its name.

Thanks to the code-uncovering excellence of Android Police, we have more information on what to expect from YouTube's music streaming service.

Reports that the world's biggest online video site was planning to move into mobile music first surfaced a month ago when Billboard magazine claimed a service was in the works that would compete with Spotify and would stream music videos rather than just audio tracks.

Code contained within the latest version of the YouTube for Android app hints that the service will be called Music Pass and, as suggested by Billboard, will support offline playback -- i.e., it will buffer tracks and cache them on a device so no internet connection is required.

Other code-based discoveries include the option to stream video tracks in 360p or semi-high-definition 720p, that there will be an ad-free option and that tracks stored to a device will be accessible for up to 48 hours. And, like the dedicated music players on Android devices, YouTube's streaming service will work in the background, meaning that users will be able to listen to music while running other apps.

Billboard's initial report stated that the service would offer a free and premium -- i.e., subscription-based -- option.

And while some have questioned the logic of Google offering two potentially competing music streaming services -- the company recently launched Google Music All Access -- the fact is that for many users, YouTube is already an unofficial online jukebox service, so why not monetize it and make it official?