by It looks like Google TV is going to follow in the footsteps of Plex and others in introducing live TV: a list of 50 free, ad-supported TV channels has been spotted in the Android TV launcher for Android devices.
The dutiful code digging was done by 9to5Google (opens in a new tab), referring to “50 channels of live TV without the need to subscribe, register or download” for users to enjoy. These channels will apparently cover “news, sports, movies and shows”.
Google TV already integrates nicely with several live TV apps, including Pluto TV, Philo, and (of course) YouTube TV. However, it seems that the update will make these channels available without having to install any additional apps.
Channel hopping
Some of the channels listed in the code include ABC News Live, America’s Test Kitchen, ChiveTV, Hallmark Movies & More, Nature Vision, NBC News Now, Power Nation, Toon Goggles, USA Today and the World Poker Tour.
It’s a reasonably impressive list, although it doesn’t match the likes of Samsung TV Plus – which has more than 200 live channels available for free. Currently, there is no indication of when the addition of these channels on Google TV may become official, and so far Google has not said anything about them.
Of course, TV platforms are just one of many areas where the big tech giants – Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung – are going head-to-head, and Google will be keen to gain any kind of advantage it can.
Analysis: what is Google TV again?
If you’re confused about what Google TV is, we don’t blame you. The platform/interface/app debuted on Chromecast with Google TV in 2020, and has since then been making its way to various other devices as well.
It started life as a revamped interface for Android TV, and is heavily based on Android TV: you get a more modern look, better search integration across multiple apps, and extra features like a watchlist. By the end of this year, Google wants to update as many devices as possible from Android TV to Google TV.
At the same time, the Google Play Movies & TV app has been replaced by Google TV on smartphones and tablets. This new app is similar to Google TV on TVs and streaming dongles, only it runs as an app on top of Android instead of a full operating system on another device.
Wherever you experience Google TV, you can buy and rent digital content, access all your streaming apps and use Google Assistant. You can think of it as a direct competitor to the Apple TV app (not the Apple TV 4K streaming box).
