After including a number of extra new channels lately, Google TV has began rolling out “Freeplay” as a brand new residence for its free, ad-supported TV channels.
Google first began rolling out free, ad-supported TV channels (FAST) to Google TV units in early 2023. On the time, there have been 80 channels to select from, a quantity that’s grown within the time since. As of September 2024, there are 150 complete channels obtainable.
Rolling out now to Google TV units resembling Chromecast and TV units from TCL, Hisense, and extra, “Freeplay” is the brand new identify of Google TV’s built-in free channels.
This branding is presently current beneath the “Dwell” tab of the Google TV homescreen, a minimum of for customers in the US the place these free channels can be found – there’s no phrase on after they would possibly develop to different areas. We’ve seen beforehand that Google may additionally use this new “Freeplay” branding on the principle homescreen, however presently the identical “Free TV Channels” remains to be in use. That’s in all probability for one of the best, because it shortly describes what customers are seeing.
Replace 9/14: Google has additionally began rolling out the “Freeplay” branding to the homescreen icon, as pictured under.
Functionally, this branding doesn’t change something, but it surely does open the door to Google TV doubtlessly including different types of free content material sooner or later. As an illustration, it’s not out of the query for different free content material the corporate presents, resembling free on-demand films from YouTube, to be built-in into this. However, for now, it’s nearly free TV channels.
Extra on Google TV:
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