In a move that will provide increased competition for Roku and others offering bundles of free ad-supported streaming channels, Google TV has announced that it has added hundreds of free streaming TV channels.
The channels join about 300 others already available on Google TV’s Live Tab, which was launched two years ago, boosting the total to over 800.
“Starting today, we’re integrating access to free channels from Tubi, Plex and Haystack News directly into the Live tab, alongside the existing lineup of channels from Pluto TV,” Google explained in a blog post. “We’re also launching free built-in channels from Google TV that you can watch without even downloading or launching an app. In total, you can now browse over 800 channels and premium programming, including news channels from NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX. You can also tune in to channels from around the world, with programming in more than 10 languages including Spanish, Hindi and Japanese.”
The additions to the Google TV smart TV operating system puts increased competitive pressure on Roku.
In one sense, the move also makes the free Google TV offering even more like a traditional pay TV service in that it offers a large variety of live programming on a grid schedule with one live TV guide.
The new live TV experience will be available on all Google TV devices in the U.S., including Chromecast with Google TV and TVs with Google TV built-in from Sony, TCL, Hisense and Philips. Google also said it plans to bring the new TV guide and free channels to eligible Android TV devices later this year.
