Google TV (service)

Google TV is an online video on demand and video aggregator service operated by Google. Launched in September 2020, as a service it allows users to search and discover video titles available across multiple different streaming services as well as to rent or to buy available titles from Google and add any selected title to a watchlist for watching or accessing such titles from eligible devices and platforms. The buy, rent or preorder options were also part of Google Play Movies & TV, another service by Google which later was moved to Google TV service.

For other uses, see Google TV (disambiguation).
Google TV
Developer(s)Google
Initial releaseSeptember 2020 (2020-09)
Operating systemAndroid
iOS
Web
TypeDigital distribution
Websiteplay.google.com/store/movies

The purchased or rented video titles can be watched by a signed-in user through YouTube and Google Play websites on web browsers; through the YouTube app on Android TV devices; on TVs with Google TV interface; and through the Google TV app on Android and iOS phone or tablet devices. Content downloading for offline watching is supported through the mobile app. The search, discover and watchlist options are also available at Google Search website along with Google TV app on mobile devices as well as TVs with Google TV interface or with Google Assistant.

Overview

The Google TV service was launched in September 2020 along with the launch of Chromecast with Google TV as well as the release of an updated interface and features for some Android TVs.[1][2] At the same time, the Google Play Movies & TV app was also updated with same interface and was renamed to Google TV on Android mobile devices in the United States and aggregation of content across streaming services was added in the app.[2] The Google TV user interface is deeply integrated with the Google TV video service.[3]

The service expanded to iOS in June 2022.[4]

Geographic availability
Geographic availability of movies on Google TV
Geographic availability of TV shows on Google TV

Now part of Google TV service, movies on Google Play are available in 120 countries.[5]

The full country list includes: Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, Fiji, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Namibia, Netherlands, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe [5]

Also, TV shows are only available in: Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States.[5]

Google TV app is available in: Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Namibia, Netherlands, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, the United Kingdom, the United States, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Features

Purchase options

Google TV service offers movies and television shows for purchase or on rent depending on availability.[6]

Formats

Google states that "Most movies and TV shows are available in high definition", with a resolution of 1,280×720 pixels (720p) or 1,920×1,080 pixels (1080p).[7] Google added a 4K Ultra HD video option for select titles in December 2016,[8] and began offering content in 4K HDR quality in the United States and Canada in July 2017.[9][10]

Offline downloads

Depending on the device and platform type used to access, the content is available for offline viewing using the download feature.[11]

Platforms and devices

After purchasing or renting content titles, a signed-in user can watch movies and television shows from the following platforms and devices[12]:

Browsers

However, HD or 4K playback is not available on PC where the resolution will be capped to SD (480p) except when using Safari on a Mac.[13]

Offline download and watching is supported on Chromebooks through the Chrome extension. Computers running Microsoft Windows and macOS operating systems cannot download content.[11]

Smartphones and tablets
  • Google TV app
  • YouTube app

Television sets

Media players

The service can be used with access to content through the YouTube app available on media players including the following:

Google Play Movies & TV

Google Play Movies & TV was an online video on demand service operated by Google and as part of Google Play product line, the service offered movies and television shows for purchase or rental, depending on availability.[15] [16] As of May 2022, it was moved to Google TV.[6]

History

The Google Movies service was launched in May 2011.[17] It was rebranded under Google Play in March 2012.[18]

Movies were introduced in Korea in September 2012,[19] with further rollouts of movies in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Spain in October 2012;[20] movies in Brazil and Russia in December 2012;[21][22] movies in India and Mexico in March 2013;[23] TV shows in the United Kingdom in July 2013;[24] and movies in Italy in November 2013.[25] A major expansion of movies was made in 13 new countries in December 2013,[26] and 38 new countries in March 2014.[27] Subsequent rollouts took place for movies in Belgium, Philippines, Switzerland, and Uganda in May 2014;[28] movies in Ireland in July 2014;[29] movies in Austria in September 2014;[30] movies in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus, Hungary, Iceland, Macedonia, Malta, Slovenia, Taiwan, and Ukraine in November 2014;[31] movies in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore in July 2015;[32] movies in Turkey in March 2016;[33] and movies in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam in November 2016.[34]

In September 2020, the Android app for Google Play Movies & TV was renamed to Google TV on Android mobile devices in the United States[35] and aggregation of content across streaming services was added in the app.[36] The rebranding coincided with the launch of Google TV service along with identically-named user interface on the Chromecast with Google TV.[37]

In March 2021, users were informed that the app used on several TVs would no longer be available in June 2021 and users should use the YouTube app instead.[38]

In April 2021, Google began to deprecate the Google Play Movies & TV app on Roku, LG, Samsung, and Vizio smart TVs, the app to shut down on July 15, redirecting users on these platforms to the YouTube app.[39]

In March 2022, it was announced that Play Movies & TV is moving to Google TV and starting in May 2022, the Google TV app will be home for buying, renting, and watching movies and shows on Android mobile device or tablet.[6] It was also announced that Movies & TV will no longer be supported on the Google Play app and Google Play will continue to be store for apps, games, and books.[6]

References
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  34. El Khoury, Rita (November 17, 2016). "Google Play Movies rolls out in 10 new Middle Eastern countries and Vietnam". Android Police. Archived from the original on January 12, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
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