According to 9to5Google, Google TV is testing out two new tabs on its homescreen that are just for it. The platform is trying out “Free” and “Shop” tabs that will let you stream free content and buy movies directly. This change in how the interface displays content was made after removing other tabs to simplify the process of finding what you’re looking for.
The new “Free” tab on Google TV seems to be between the “Live” and “Apps” tabs that are already there. This part lists all the movies and TV shows that you can watch for free through supported streaming apps that show ads.
Users on Reddit have shared early pictures of the test, which show that the tab will likely have a lot of content from services like Tubi. It will probably also have titles from Freeplay, which is Google TV’s current hub for free, ad-supported channels.
This special area is there to help you find free content more easily without having to look through each app. This could become the main place for a lot of people to watch things in a relaxed way. The test shows that Google TV is putting more of an emphasis on ad-supported streaming, which is a quickly growing part of the market, right in its main navigation.
Understanding the Purpose of the New ‘Shop’ Tab on Google TV
It’s even more surprising that the “Shop” tab is back. This part would let you watch movies that you can buy or rent right from the Google TV store. The test shows that Google should focus more on transactional video-on-demand, which is something the company has been downplaying lately. It’s important to remember that the company had already taken away the option to buy TV shows.
Google TV may be trying to make it easier to buy things and find new releases by putting a permanent tab for storefront content on the home screen. This tab would probably take you to the same library that Google Play Movies & TV and YouTube do. The fact that it is back as a main navigation option shows that the platform’s priorities for finding new content have changed a lot.
Please remember that this test is not open to the public. The new tabs have only been seen in what looks like a small test on the server side. Most devices, such as TCL and Hisense’s popular Google TV hardware, do not yet support them. There was a similar test of a “Shop” tab on Android TV last year. This feature makes it seem like Google has bigger plans for its TV ecosystems.
