Google entered the live TV-on-demand business earlier this year with the launch of YouTube TV, a susbcription service with live content from more than 40 networks, cloud DVR features, and plans starting at $35 per month.

The only catch? For the past 6 months YouTube TV has only been available for phones, tablets and PCs. Sure, you could also stream content to a TV by using a Chromecast… but that still required pulling up content on a different device and then hitting a button.

Now Google is finally starting to roll out YouTube TV apps for a bunch of smart TV platforms. This week an Android TV app will roll out for select devices, but that’s just the start.

The NVIDIA Shield TV and other Android TV devices will be among the first to support YouTube TV. But Google says it plans to add support for Xbox One game consoles and smart TV devices from LG, Samsung, Sony, and Apple in the future.

The official app will let you use a remote control to navigate content, view a new Live guide designed for TV screens, and allow you to pause a video on one device and pick up where you left off on another. If you’re watching a video on your phone, for instance, you can finish watching on your TV, or vice versa.

YouTube TV is available in 50 markets across the US and if you don’t want to fork over $35 without taking the service for a test-drive first, Google does offer a free 7 day trial.

Google is hardly the only company in this space. But having official smart TV apps should help make YouTube TV a bit more competitive with Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and DirecTV Now.

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2 replies on “YouTube TV is actually available on TVs now”

  1. Good Gourd! Just get a Roku and be done with it. I’ve told you this for years.

    1. I’m not crazy about the insistence of personal information from Roku. Why do I have to give them credit card information if I have no intention of buying software through them? From what I understand it used to be optional, but the last time I tried it was mandatory. I really want to like the Roku, but I cannot make an account with them to add my own apps. I had to sign up with a family member’s account which makes it a bit of a mess.

      It would be nice for them to make it available for other devices like Roku, Fire TV/sticks, and more. YouTube TV is available in my city and I know of a few people interested in it.

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