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Ads headed for Disney+ next month along with price hikes
December 8 will also see higher Hulu prices for some
Stop us if you've heard this before: your streaming subscriptions are getting more expensive. Oh, wait, we already wrote a story today about Sling TV jacking up its prices. Well, don't look now, but in another move you could call funny or depressing — maybe even a little of both — Disney-owned streaming services Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu are set to raise their tolls on your viewership, especially when it comes to bundles and how much ad time you're willing to put up with.
Google TV could soon add 50 free live TV channels to its catalog
Preparations to add the new channels seem to be underway
Google TV has a few options if you want to watch shows in real-time, but most of them are through third-party app integrations which stray from Google’s ideal user experience. But the platform now seems to be closer to launching 50 new "live" TV channels which would be free to watch.
Philo is raising its price, because that's just what streaming TV services do now
It's jumping from $20 to $25 next month with some extra DVR time
To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to reap. A time to increase the price of a streaming TV subscription, and that time is all the freakin' time. The time has come for Philo, a service that's practically built on being cheaper than pretty much every alternative. You didn't need the wisdom of Solomon to see this one coming.
Roku adds dozens of new live TV channels amid YouTube TV feud
Will the extra choice drive people away from Google's service
Roku and YouTube TV recently locked their horns over their service contract, leading to a cheeky workaround from Google to ensure millions of Roku users wouldn't lose access. The spat is still ongoing, so it's a convenient time for Roku to add a total of 25 new linear channels to its own live TV platform.
Samsung's free TV service is coming to more Galaxy phones
Galaxy S9, Note9, and various A-series phones are joining the party
Samsung TV Plus was originally developed as a feature for the company's line of smart TVs, giving buyers something to watch before they plugged in a cable box or logged into Netflix. Samsung started rolling out the service to a handful of Galaxy phones earlier this year, and now the app is coming to even more devices.
Hulu raises live TV subscription cost for the second time in a year
Hulu Live TV is now just as expensive as YouTube TV
To quote Batman, "You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." That certainly applies to TV streaming services, which all started as cheaper alternatives to cable, but later became just as expensive as cable with the rising costs of bundling channels. YouTube TV recently increased its monthly cost to $65, and now Hulu's live TV option is following suit.
Netflix is experimenting with a live TV style stream
So French users won't have to spend hours thinking of what to watch
It's that time of the day when you're back home after a long day at work, and you're ready to grab a beer, watch Netflix, and chill. Unfortunately, by the time you've chosen what to watch, you've already had way too many drinks and are ready to hit the sack. Thankfully, Netflix is deploying a solution that will save you time, at least if you live in France.
Google is making live sports and TV shows easier to watch in Search
Only with MLB and NBA games for now
Even though cable cutting is a real thing these days, live TV is still pretty popular, especially when it comes to sporting events. Though the fans in the stands may look differently due to COVID-19, at-home viewing hasn't changed much. Now Google is trying to make it a little easier by quickly showing live TV options for games, leagues, teams, and even normal TV channels.
Amazon Fire TV Live now integrates YouTube TV and Sling TV, with Hulu coming soon
Get all of your live TV services in one place
The experience of watching live TV on one of Amazon's Fire TV devices is getting a boost today with the addition of two big names in the digital live TV space. YouTube TV and Sling TV are fully integrated as of today, so you'll be able to see content from both services in the Live tab. Furthermore, Hulu + Live TV will be made available in the near future.
This app has tons of free live TV and movies streaming 24/7
Check out Pluto TV if you run out of Netflix to watch
If you've never heard of Pluto TV before, we aren't surprised: the app gets shockingly little attention for the tons of truly, actually free streaming video content it offers from huge names like Cartoon Network, FOX, and even major movie studios (there's literally a James Bond channel streaming Bond films 24/7). Pluto does have some limitations and quirks, but overall, if you're looking for stuff you probably won't find on Netflix, or that otherwise is often only available on cable cordcutter services like Hulu TV or YouTube TV, Pluto will surprise you with the breadth and depth of its library. Here's how it all works.
Watch live TV on all of your devices with YouTube TV, Sling TV, and more
Cuddle up and quarantine on the couch with these live TV streaming solutions
Let's face it: The coronavirus quarantine would be that much more unbearable without smartphones, Wi-Fi, and streaming services to keep us entertained. If you've only been binging movies and Tiger King on Netflix, though, you're completely missing out on another source of content. Here's how you can access live TV on your existing family of devices, including Android phones, Chromecast, Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and more.
Here's another way to watch live news, TV, and movies for free with your phone
XUMO TV has plenty to watch right now whether you're on a budget or just tired of Netflix
There are a lot of different free streaming services out there, and it's tough to know which is worth your time. We've looked at both live and on-demand services from Pluto TV to Plex and Kanopy, and based on our reader's repeated recommendations, now we're taking a dive into XUMO — another option for free live TV as well as on-demand content.
Most live TV subscriptions follow the same path: they start cheap with a few channels, then add a few more channels, then raise prices to make up for the costs of adding more channels. Hulu's live TV option already increased in price once this year, and now the service is set to become even more expensive.
A few months ago, Hulu finally revamped its Android TV app after it letting it languish for years, with the main new addition being support for Hulu Live TV. However, the company's renewed attention to the platform also seems to come with a downside: the app is being blocked on a handful of Android TV set-top boxes.
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At launch, YouTube TV was limited to just a few supported markets, but it's spread rather quickly. As of August, it had expanded to 100 service locations. Google is rolling YouTube TV out to another 95 markets, meaning that 98% of households in the US will be able to subscribe starting today. The remaining few markets will come "shortly thereafter."
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There's some good news if you've been trying to drop cable and stream all your content directly from the internet: YouTube TV is now expanding its availability to 12 more cities in the United States, and it might just have come to the one where you live. This isn't exactly unexpected — after all, we've known that 17 more regions would be popping up "in the coming weeks," and here they are. The list of new markets includes:
YouTube TV continues to grow. Ever since it was announced, the live television service has expanded further across the U.S. Today, 14 new markets (which altogether cover a ton of people) will have a chance to hop on board the steadily increasing expansion, according to Google's support page.
It wasn't too long ago that Plex showed off its new Live TV feature, which you can read about here. That was just a beta, with a limited number of supported platforms (Android TV, iOS, and Plex web). However, that feature is growing up and ready for prime time, coming with full Android support, too.
Hulu may not be as big of a name in the industry as it once was, but its subscriber count is still in the octuples. It's also still working on new features, such as an updated user interface and Live TV beta that hit Android, iOS, Apple TV, Xbox One, and Chromecast two months ago. Now, those two things have hit the Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick.
When YouTube TV was announced a few months ago, it was off to a slow start and limited to a few markets. Our very own Ryan had to do some tomfoolery to get it to work in his hometown so he could write up his thoughts. In the beginning, this initiative was available only to customers in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area. But as part of a slew of new announcements, YouTube has stated that the live TV service is expanding to ten more markets.