It seems to be as if Google TV goes to comply with the trail trodden by Plex and others by introducing stay TV: an inventory of fifty free, ad-supported tv channels has been found within the Android TV launcher app for Android units.
The dutiful code digging was performed by 9to5Google (opens in new tab), and refers to “50 channels of stay TV with out the necessity to subscribe, sign-up, or obtain” that customers can get pleasure from. These channels will apparently cowl “information, sports activities, motion pictures, and exhibits”.
Google TV already integrates neatly with a number of stay TV apps, together with Pluto TV, Philo, and (after all) YouTube TV. Nevertheless, it appears the replace would make these channels obtainable with out the necessity to set up any extra apps.
Channel hopping
A few of the channels listed within the code embrace ABC Information Reside, America’s Check Kitchen, ChiveTV, Hallmark Motion pictures & Extra, Nature Imaginative and prescient, NBC Information Now, Energy Nation, Toon Goggles, USA Right this moment and World Poker Tour.
It is a fairly spectacular checklist, even when it does not match as much as the likes of Samsung TV Plus – which has greater than 200 stay channels obtainable free of charge. As but there is not any indication of when the addition of those channels on Google TV could be made official, and thus far Google hasn’t mentioned something about them.
After all TV platforms is only one of many areas the place the massive tech giants – Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung – are going face to face in opposition to one another, and Google can be eager to get any type of benefit it may well.
Evaluation: what’s Google TV once more?
In case you’re confused about what Google TV is, we do not blame you. The platform/interface/app made its debut on the Chromecast with Google TV in 2020, and has since been making its approach out to varied different units as properly.
It began life as a revamped interface for Android TV, and is closely based mostly on Android TV: you get a extra fashionable look, higher search integration throughout a number of apps, and further options like a watchlist. By the top of this yr, Google is seeking to replace as many units as potential from Android TV to Google TV.
On the similar time, the Google Play Motion pictures & TV app has been changed by Google TV on smartphones and tablets. This new app is just like Google TV on televisions and streaming dongles, solely it is working as an app on high of Android relatively than a full working system on a special gadget.
Wherever you expertise Google TV, you should purchase and lease digital content material, entry all of your streaming apps, and make use of Google Assistant. You may consider it as a direct competitor to the Apple TV app (not the Apple TV 4K streaming field).
