If you have fond memories of flipping through the TV and randomly coming across a good movie or TV show, we’ve got a hot tip for you. Google TV is bringing back that nostalgic feeling with its latest venture.
Google’s smart TV operating system has expanded its free ad-supported streaming channel lineup with nearly a thousand new channels (a little over 800, to be exact) on top of its existing content.
But, the interesting part is these channels work like old-school cable TV. This means that they come with pre-scheduled programming and unskippable ads as well as a redesigned “Live” tab that shows you the programming schedule with their respective timeslots and categories.
At first glance, this may seem like a step back for the forward-thinking streaming industry. However, the move is actually a genius response to the arms race among multiple streaming services. Now that streaming has become the go-to means of consumption and not the alternative, the market is now looking for a different way to stream content. Specifically, there’s a niche to be filled with content that doesn’t require a separate monthly payment, which Google TV could fulfill with the right strategy.
With that said, if you’re feeling a dose of nostalgia about surfing channels on your couch, Google TV’s Live FAST channels can take you for a ride.
To access the expanded live content menu, all you need is a Chromecast-enabled device or a TV set with a built-in Google TV feature. Google promises to offer the same feature to select Android devices later this year as well.
Ad-supported streaming is on the rise lately. Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros., and Sling TV have all launched their own TV-only streaming services in recent months.
