YouTube TV rolls out in five cities with free Chromecast offer
YouTube TV, Google's live TV streaming service, is now live in five major markets in the United States, with Google tempting users to try out its $35 subscription service by offering a free Chromecast, allowing shows to be viewed on a television instead of through the iOS and Android apps.
Announced in February, YouTube TV is available to use in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Users have to be physically located in one of those areas to sign up and gain access, as support pages advise it is due to licensing restrictions from content owners, including blackouts for sporting events.
For people living outside these five areas, the service is collecting email addresses for interested parties, for Google to send a message at a later time when YouTube TV becomes available in other markets. Residents within these markets who are outside of their home area can provide their email address for a reminder when they return home.
As part of the service's launch, Google is offering a free Chromecast to YouTube TV members, if they pay the first month's subscription after the 30-day free trial. Participants have to redeem the offer within 30 days of the payment in order to get the Chromecast, with Google also covering the shipping costs, and it is being offered while supplies last.
So far, YouTube TV will only be usable on mobile devices, with apps for iOS and Android rolling out today, as well as the Chromecast and TVs with Chromecast functionality built-in, including Android TV. Up to six accounts can be created under a subscription, allowing it to be used by an entire family, with up to three streams viewable at a time.
It was initially revealed the base $35 package included channels from ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox, as well as affiliated channels including Bravo, Syfy, and ESPN. The selection has since expanded to include channels from AMC, including BBC America and IFC, with the YouTube TV website also advising Showtime is available at an extra charge.
As part of the service, subscribers will have access to a cloud DVR with unlimited space, and will include a recommendation system using Google's AI.
Notably, customers signing up using the iOS app on an iPhone or iPad could end up paying more than the publicized $35 monthly fee. The support page advises that it is possible to sign up via iTunes, but it will cost $39.99 plus tax per month, an increase to take into account Apple's cut of App Store transactions.
YouTube TV launches in an already crowded market, with similar offerings from Sling TV, DirecTV Now, and PlayStation Vue, with services from Hulu and Verizon also expected to launch in the coming months. Google may have an advantage over its competitors, due to its extensive video streaming experience and existing infrastructure, and is unlikely to encounter similar teething issues to what DirecTV Now endured.
Announced in February, YouTube TV is available to use in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Users have to be physically located in one of those areas to sign up and gain access, as support pages advise it is due to licensing restrictions from content owners, including blackouts for sporting events.
For people living outside these five areas, the service is collecting email addresses for interested parties, for Google to send a message at a later time when YouTube TV becomes available in other markets. Residents within these markets who are outside of their home area can provide their email address for a reminder when they return home.
As part of the service's launch, Google is offering a free Chromecast to YouTube TV members, if they pay the first month's subscription after the 30-day free trial. Participants have to redeem the offer within 30 days of the payment in order to get the Chromecast, with Google also covering the shipping costs, and it is being offered while supplies last.
So far, YouTube TV will only be usable on mobile devices, with apps for iOS and Android rolling out today, as well as the Chromecast and TVs with Chromecast functionality built-in, including Android TV. Up to six accounts can be created under a subscription, allowing it to be used by an entire family, with up to three streams viewable at a time.
It was initially revealed the base $35 package included channels from ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox, as well as affiliated channels including Bravo, Syfy, and ESPN. The selection has since expanded to include channels from AMC, including BBC America and IFC, with the YouTube TV website also advising Showtime is available at an extra charge.
As part of the service, subscribers will have access to a cloud DVR with unlimited space, and will include a recommendation system using Google's AI.
Notably, customers signing up using the iOS app on an iPhone or iPad could end up paying more than the publicized $35 monthly fee. The support page advises that it is possible to sign up via iTunes, but it will cost $39.99 plus tax per month, an increase to take into account Apple's cut of App Store transactions.
YouTube TV launches in an already crowded market, with similar offerings from Sling TV, DirecTV Now, and PlayStation Vue, with services from Hulu and Verizon also expected to launch in the coming months. Google may have an advantage over its competitors, due to its extensive video streaming experience and existing infrastructure, and is unlikely to encounter similar teething issues to what DirecTV Now endured.
Comments
Or better, collect a lot of personal data for resale in doing so.
I must say the that Google TV looks competitive. It even has a 2 things that DirecTV now does not have. CBS and DVR. Not that I care for DVR.
DirecTV has HBO and a bunch of other channels if you took the plunge last year.
I'm gonna try GoogleTV out for a month. I think the UI is better than DirecTV now and if the backend is much better? hmmmm I dunno.
AT&T needs to let Apple take over the UI of DirecTV now for the AppleTV.
Update: Forget it. No AppleTV App. I already have DirecTV Now with free HBO. I'll stick with that thank you.
3 Things I want from AT&T are:
1. CBS (Les Moonves needs to make a deal. I refuse to pay 5 bucks/month for a free over the air channel.)
2. Better integration with AppleTV. (Single Signon, Station Application Support, Better SIRI integration etc...)
3. Allow more simultaneous streaming from registered AppleTV at subscriber's home. (4-6 would be great)
http://help.sling.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/How-does-DVR-on-Sling-TV-work
http://help.sling.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/How-does-DVR-on-Sling-TV-work
Here's another (that you might well ignore too) explaining their subscriptions and the number of concurrent streams allowed which can be up to 4. No idea where you got "only two" since that's not in any of the options. Why don't you double-check for accuracy before you post stuff? It's not helpful when you guess but post as fact.
http://help.sling.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/Can-I-watch-Sling-TV-on-multiple-devices-at-the-same-time-
Google's YouTube TV is significantly different from Vue or Sling anyway, and yes includes DVR. $35/month will get programming for the four major broadcast networks plus approx 40 other "cable channels", including the all-important sports channels like ESPN and Fox Sports 1.
And the free included DVR service? Best of the lot so far, surpassing even your vaunted Vue:
"...Youtube TV’s DVR function offers an unlimited amount of cloud storage and will save recordings for nine months at a time. This is a compelling offer when stacked up against some of the other streaming services in the market. Sling TV charges $5 per month for 50 hours of cloud DVR storage and Sony’s Vue service offers unlimited storage, but only for 28 days. DirecTV Now currently has no cloud DVR option"
Some TV viewers will almost certainly think it's a great deal and a good match for them, better than your Vue or my Sling. Others won't. The reasons for choosing one over another or "none of the above" will vary.