Google TV

Google TV (also still known as Google Play Movies & TV or Google Play Movies in some regions) is an online video on demand service operated by Google. The service offers movies and television shows for purchase or rental, depending on availability. The service initially launched in May 2011 as Google Movies and was later renamed Google Play Movies & TV following its integration into the Google Play digital distribution service in 2012.

This article is about the video service formerly known as Play Movies & TV. For the updated user interface of Android TV, see Android TV § Google TV interface. For the smart TV platform discontinued in 2014, see Google TV (smart TV platform).
Not to be confused with YouTube TV.
Google TV
Developer(s)Google
Initial releaseMarch 2012 (2012-03)
Operating systemAndroid
iOS
Roku
webOS (smart TVs)
Tizen (smart TVs)
Web
TypeDigital distribution
Websitetv.google.com

Google claims that most content is available in high definition, and a 4K Ultra HD video option was offered for select titles starting in December 2016. Content can be watched on streaming devices, the Google Play website, through an extension for the Google Chrome web browser, or through the mobile app on Android and iOS devices. Offline download is supported through the mobile app and on devices.

In September 2020, the Android app for Google Play Movies & TV was renamed to Google TV in the United States,[1] adding aggregation of content across streaming services.[2] The rebranding coincided with the debut of an identically-named user interface for the Android TV operating system on the Chromecast with Google TV media streamer. The Google TV user interface is deeply integrated with the Google TV video service.[3]

Features

Google TV offers movies and television shows for purchase or rental, depending on availability.[4] Google states that "Most movies and TV shows on Google Play are available in high definition", with a resolution of 1,280×720 pixels (720p) or 1,920×1,080 pixels (1080p).[5] Google added a 4K Ultra HD video option for select titles in December 2016,[6] and began offering content in 4K HDR quality in the United States and Canada in July 2017.[7][8] Users can pre-order select content to have it delivered automatically at the time of release.[9] Rented content has an expiration time, listed on the content's detail page.[10]

Platforms

On computers, content can be watched on a dedicated Movies & TV section of the Google Play website, or through the Google Play Movies & TV Google Chrome web browser extension.[11][12]

On smartphones and tablets running the Android or iOS mobile operating systems, content can be watched on the Google TV mobile app.[13]

Offline download and viewing is supported on Chromebooks through the Chrome extension, and on Android and iOS through the mobile app. Computers running Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS operating systems cannot download content.[14]

In order to view content on a television, users can either connect their computer to a TV with an HDMI cable, use the Google Play Movies & TV app available for select smart TVs from LG and Samsung as well as Roku devices, stream content through the Chromecast dongle, through the YouTube app on Amazon Fire TV devices, or through Android TV.[15]

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

Movies on Google Play are available in over 111 countries.[16]

The full country list includes: Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and 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, the Netherlands, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, the 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, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.[16]

TV shows on Google Play are only available in: Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.[16]

History of expansion

The service was launched in May 2011 as Google Movies,[17] and rebranded under the "Google Play" banner 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]

References
  1. "Google TV: Entertainment you love, with help from Google". Google. September 30, 2020. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  2. "Google TV". Google TV. September 30, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  3. Bohn, Dieter (2020-09-30). "Google Play Movies & TV is now Google TV but it's not the same Google TV that runs on Android TV on the new Chromecast, it's an app". The Verge. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  4. "Rent or buy movies & TV shows". Google Play Help. Google Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  5. "HD movie & TV show availability". Google Play Help. Google Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  6. Whitwam, Ryan (December 6, 2016). "Google makes 4K video official in Google Play, but only for the US and Canada right now". Android Police. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  7. Welch, Chris (July 12, 2017). "Google Play Movies adds 4K HDR streaming in US and Canada". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  8. Perez, Sarah (July 12, 2017). "Google Play Movies & TV rolls out support for HDR video on Chromecast Ultra". TechCrunch. AOL. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  9. "Pre-order on Google Play". Google Play Help. Google Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  10. "Find a rental period for movies & TV shows". Google Play Help. Google Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  11. "Watch movies & TV shows on your computer". Google Play Help. Google Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  12. "Google Play Movies & TV". Chrome Web Store. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  13. "Watch movies & TV shows on your mobile device". Google Play Help. Google Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  14. "Download movies & TV to watch offline". Google Play Help. Google Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  15. "Watch Google Play videos on your TV". Google Play Help. Google Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  16. "Country availability for apps & digital content". Google Play Help. Google Inc. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  17. Parr, Ben (10 May 2011). "Google Launches Movies for Android". Mashable. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  18. Ruddock, David (6 Mar 2012). "The Android Market Is Now Google Play - Integrating Apps, Games, Books, Music, And Movies". Android Police. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  19. Spradlin, Liam (September 28, 2012). "Google Play Movies Come To Korea – Enjoy Hundreds Of Titles From Korea And Hollywood". Android Police. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  20. Ravenscraft, Eric (October 29, 2012). "Now You Can Purchase Movies From Google Play In Canada, The UK, France, Spain, And Australia". Android Police. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  21. Spradlin, Liam (December 5, 2012). "Google Now Offering Up Play Books And Movies In Brazil". Android Police. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  22. Ravenscraft, Eric (December 11, 2012). "Have You Heard? Play Books And Movies Are Out In St. Petersburg (And The Rest Of Russia)". Android Police. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  23. Ravenscraft, Eric (March 27, 2013). "Play Movies App Updated With In-Depth 'Info Cards', Service Launches In India & Mexico". Android Police. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  24. Rice, Jeremiah (July 31, 2013). "Google Play TV Shows Now Available In The United Kingdom: UK Residents Can Watch As Much Honey Boo Boo As They Want". Android Police. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  25. Rice, Jeremiah (November 12, 2013). "Google Play Movies Are Now Available In Italy On Android Devices And The Web". Android Police. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  26. Crider, Michael (December 27, 2013). "Google Play Movies Expands To 13 New Territories, Including Hong Kong And New Zealand". Android Police. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  27. Whitwam, Ryan (March 27, 2014). "Google Play Movies & TV Expands Into Chile, Sweden, Denmark, And 35 More Countries [Update]". Android Police. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  28. Whitwam, Ryan (May 22, 2014). "Google Play Movies Goes Live In Belgium, Philippines, Switzerland, And Uganda". Android Police. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  29. King Jr., Bertel (July 9, 2014). "Play Movies Now Showing In Ireland". Android Police. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  30. King Jr., Bertel (September 17, 2014). "Play Movies Is Now Ready To Stream To Devices In Austria". Android Police. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  31. King Jr., Bertel (November 4, 2014). "Play Movies Is Now Ready To Stream Motion Pictures In Hungary, Macedonia, Ukraine, And 6 More Countries". Android Police. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  32. King Jr., Bertel (July 30, 2015). "[Update: And Singapore] Google Play Movies Now Shows Flicks In Indonesia And Malaysia". Android Police. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  33. King Jr., Bertel (March 30, 2016). "Google Play Movies Launches In Turkey". Android Police. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  34. El Khoury, Rita (November 17, 2016). "Google Play Movies rolls out in 10 new Middle Eastern countries and Vietnam". Android Police. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
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