According to 9to5Google, Google TV is testing out two new tabs on its homescreen that are just for it. The platform is testing “Free” and “Shop” tabs that let you stream free content and buy movies directly. This change to how the interface displays content was made after removing other tabs to simplify 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 test photos, showing that the tab will likely feature a lot of content from services like Tubi. It will likely also include titles from Freeplay, 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 many people to watch things in a relaxed setting. The test shows that Google TV is putting more emphasis on ad-supported streaming, 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 lets you watch movies 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 appears to be 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 suggests Google has bigger plans for its TV ecosystems.
