This past March, we introduced you to YouTube TV, an upcoming “alternative cable” service living within the YouTube ecosystem. We now have some big updates as we dive deeper into YouTube’s new monthly subscription service.
Refresher Course: What is YouTube TV?
YouTube has plunged head-first into the television sphere with YouTube TV. As the “cord-cutting” trend evolves into a full-fledged cultural shift, YouTube aims to point its millions of subscribers and daily visitors toward a new subscription service. YouTube TV essentially offers a basic cable package without the TV, but with the ability to stream from most phones, tablets and computers. The service, which is priced at $35 a month, is currently US-exclusive and available only in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The 44 channels offered at launch are below:
The roster is quickly growing, with newcomers such as AMC, BBC America, IFC and Telemundo added this past month.
Why YouTube TV?
Are you a cord-cutter? In other words, have you consciously made the decision to dump your cable subscription (or not open one to begin with) in lieu of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime? If so, you’re not alone. Especially among the younger crowd – sure, blame the millennials– cable can seem like an extraneous expense when streaming services offer so much content on-demand. However, some consumers have held onto their cable subscriptions for one major reason: sports.
While the channel list, along with the list of cities offering the service, is growing, YouTube TV’s lineup aims to offer a robust sports package. Many regional sports networks are also supported, depending on location. With YouTube TV, leaving the house is no reason to leave the game – keep watching on your phone or tablet wherever there is internet access. At home, hook up your device to your television – or use Chromecast – and continue watching on the big screen.
Check out some of the most noteworthy features of YouTube TV:
- Cloud DVR – Binge away with unlimited free storage that will be saved in the cloud for up to 9 months. Easily follow shows, channels and even sports teams with the click of a button.
- Family Sharing – YouTube’s focus on personalization wouldn’t work nearly as well if every member of the family lend their tastes to the same algorithm. YouTube TV allows up to six accounts per household, with three simultaneous streams.
- “Live” Tab – The YouTube TV “Live” tab functions as your personalized TV guide, letting you know what’s “on.”
- Smart Search – YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world, a capability which carries over to YouTube TV. The app’s search supports both text and voice and is integrated with the rest of the YouTube platform allowing your search to span beyond YouTube TV to any free or on-demand YouTube show.
- YouTube Red Originals – Even without a specific YouTube Red subscription, YouTube TV provides access to the platform’s exclusive programming including, College Humor’s Bad Internet, The Fine Brothers’ Sing It!, Prank Academy and more.
While YouTube TV is in its infancy, it is poised to make waves among its competitors given YouTube’s enormous user base and network integration.
