Google has changed the name of the Google Movies app, formerly known as Google Play Movies and TV, to Google TV. The change has been effected on gadgets that use the Android operating system and is expected to be effected on other systems soon. The renamed app gives users the opportunity to rent and buy movies and TV shows as well as watch movies purchased on other platforms, The Verge reports.
The software layer on the newly launched Google Chromecast is also named Google TV. This might prove to be confusing, but it is not to be confused with the new Google TV app. The move to change the name shows that Google is following Apple’s style closely. Apple’s Apple TV app is used by the tech giant to show all categories of videos to subscribers.
The change also signifies that Google is slowly moving away from the “Play” brand which has been the center of the company’s apps for a long time. The company has Google Play Store for downloading applications, Google Play Books where users can purchase comics and books, and Google Play Music for playing audio files. Focus is slowly being shifted from the “Play” brand with the change of Google Play Movies and TV to just Google TV.
Here are the different TV services offered by Google:
- Google TV (renamed app): As stated above, this app previously known as Google Play Movies & TV can be used by users to watch videos, movies, and TV shows on their mobile phones. It can also be used on the newly launched $50 Chromecast dongle.
- Google TV: Not to be confused with the app with the same name; this Google TV is a software layer on the Chromecast. You can use it to navigate to find a file on Chromecast. It uses the search button and Google Assistant to ease the search. Google has announced that this software can be used by other TV services.
- Android TV: This is the operating system used on Android television. It is a system that gives you the Android experience on your television. Google runs its Google TV on Android TV, though they are two different systems. Google TV (not the app) is Google’s print on the open Android system.
- YouTube TV: This TV service allows users to stream television shows in real-time. Subscribers pay $64.99 on a monthly basis to live-stream television shows on the platform.
- Google Fiber TV: This is a bundled TV service. Though new users can not access this TV, existing users can still use it. It is one of the company’s old products accessible only to those that had it before it was canceled.
New innovations and inventions are making life easier for everyone. Gone were the days of big television with gigantic remote controls that had lots of confusing buttons. Now, we can access all of our favorite movies and TV shows on these apps, systems, and packages known as “TV”.
Source: theverge.com
