latest
Google TV is the future of Android TV but Android TV will still exist (and yes, this is confusing)
But Google can't really fix it, either
Google's new Chromecast with Google TV marks not just a change for Google's hardware lineup to better compete with Roku and Fire TV hardware, it's also the future of Android TV as we know it, though it all gets pretty messy. See, Google TV will also be coming to third-party hardware from companies like Sony starting next year, though Android TV itself will live on — at least until 2022.
By now, you're probably familiar with the new account switcher that many Google apps have been picking up, giving you a nice round icon in the corner for your account and a single downward swipe to quickly switch between them. Well, the change has been rolling out to Google's Play Movies & TV app in recent days.
While most of Google's core apps have gone through some pretty monumental changes in their adoption of Google's Material Theme, many of the other apps have been slower to take on a new look. In some cases, like the latest Play Movies & TV app, the changes are also much gentler, spanning over the course of a few versions.
Read update
Google added 4K movies to its library back in late 2016, following the launch of the Chromecast Ultra. Since then, many people — myself included — came to realize that there was one big oversight: It's not possible to upgrade your existing HD movies to 4K. There was no upgrade pricing or even an option to remove a movie from your account and then purchase it again in 4K at full price. As it turns out, that issue will be rectified soon: Google is bringing upgrades to Play Movies, and it looks like they will be free.
Almost a year ago, HDR support came to Google Play Movies & TV by way of Google's 4K streaming dongle, the Chromecast Ultra. Now, compatible Sony smart TVs and the best Android set-top box in the game, Nvidia Shield TV, are getting support for HDR content from Google Play as well — but only if it's cast from another device.
Google recently launched a new feature that suggests various streaming services when you're looking at TV shows and movies to watch. The latest update doesn't appear to do any more than ensure that feature is available, assuming it hadn't already rolled out to you. However, it looks like there's still a little more to come. It looks like we'll also get the option to configure those streaming services and cable subscriptions to get better suggestions.
The latest version of Google Play Movies & TV is making the rounds, and this one has quite a bit to discuss. There are several surface-level changes, including a new bottom nav bar, improved support for Rotten Tomatoes, and even some rearrangements to the screens in the app. Digging a bit deeper, we can also see there's a new Guide screen in development, some degree of support for external content providers, and even a rating system for content.
Every week, I examine somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred app updates while looking for changes. The most interesting things turn into APK Teardowns or Download posts. Many of the remaining updates are unremarkable, amounting to a few bug fixes, routine updates to libraries, or even just pixel-level adjustments to layouts and images. However, there are usually a few updates that land somewhere in between. I don't want to spam readers with dozens of short posts, but I hate to ignore things that people might want to know about, so I'm going to wrap up the leftovers for a little weekend reading and call it Update Notes.
After Google's event finished yesterday, a stream of app updates began rolling out. Among them, Play Movies and TV saw a relatively simple update, but it has a couple of changes that are worth pointing out. The thumbnails for movie trailers are gone, but you can still watch them by tapping on the cover art. Also, TV shows now include the language of captions and audio tracks. A teardown also shows there may be something happening with Disney Movies Anywhere.
Read update
If you're looking forward to a night of kicking back on the couch for a serious Game of Thrones marathon – or maybe Archer – you might want to check out the latest update to Play Movies & TV. Google's premium video app just got an update to v3.9 and it adds a feature many of us will know all too well: binge watching. Also making the latest version is an easier setup experience for Roku devices.
Google's apps, alongside Facebook's, remain the only Android apps to reach over 500 million users. Some of the tech giant's offerings, such as Gmail and YouTube, have even managed more than a billion downloads.
Google Play Movies & TV received an update to version 2.7.15 today (or yesterday, but I haven't seen anyone with an APK until today), and while the changelog is still missing, we have noticed a number of new things.