The wait is over! YouTube has officially launched its streaming service, YouTube TV, which allows users to stream and record live TV shows.
Here’s What You Need to Know About YouTube TV
- An impressive number of the top US networks are available for viewing, including Fox, E!, The CW, NBC, YouTube Red Originals and more
- The main focus is so that users can watch TV wirelessly from anywhere. However, sign in from home at least once every 3 months is required to keep the account active
- A household can have up to 6 separate accounts, which is particularly useful when recommended shows are tailored to your interests
- Viewers can watch shows live or record to the cloud with no storage limits
- YouTube TV is mainly a mobile app however, you can access the platform via mobile (Android and iOS), TV (Android and Chromecast) or computer (Chrome being the recommendation, obviously)
- As with other streaming services, YouTube TV has commercials, with the majority of ad revenue going to the networks
- Users can sign-up for a 1-month free trial
- The service costs $35 dollars per month
- The service is currently only available in select US cities (Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia & San Francisco Bay Area, with more on the way)
Traditional television viewing is undoubtedly changing and social networks are quickly coming to the party as well. In February, Facebook also announced they will be launching a TV app soon, but have not given any indication of exactly when. The number of available TV streaming services in rapidly increasing, so it will be interesting to see who else will enter the market and how they differentiate themselves from competitors. So, what are your thoughts – is traditional TV dead?
You can find out more about YouTube TV by visiting their website or click on any of the links below for a more objective opinion on the service.
References and Additional Reading
- YouTube wants to be TV, but it’s not the same – recode
- YouTube TV Is Here and You May Want to Take Note – The Huffington Post
- YouTube TV Isn’t Perfect, But It’s Very Promising – Gizmodo
- YouTube TV is here — but is it something people want? – ComputerWorld
- Facebook is about to launch a standalone TV app – Business Insider