Google TVs new free streaming app has been removed, and it wont be back right away

Date:
Mon, 04 Nov 2024 14:07:50 +0000

Description:
Now you see it, now you don't: Google TV's updated Freeplay app only just rolled out, and now it's rolled back in again.

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What's got a Google TV and can't access the Freeplay app any more? The
answer, it seems, is everybody.

Freeplay not to be confused with the UK's Freeview Play is Google's free
TV app for US users, delivering FAST (Free Ad-Supported TV) channels. The latest version of the Freeplay app began rolling out in September, but as 9to5Google spotted last week it had disappeared from some users' TVs.

It turns out that the issue isn't an isolated one; Google is temporarily pulling the app for almost all users. Where has the Freeplay app gone?

In a statement to 9to5Google, Google explained that it was recalling the app from all "affected devices" because of a crashing issue; the Google TV Streamer doesnt appear to be one of the affected devices but Google TVs are.

Google says:

While rolling out the new Google TV Freeplay guide, we discovered an issue that can increase crashes for some users. We have disabled access to the new guide on affected devices until the fix is in place. The fix will begin rolling out soon, and the updated guide will be available for all Google TV devices in the coming months.

By "all Google TV devices" Google means US ones; there are no plans as yet to make Freeplay available outside the US.

Pulling the app is disappointing, because it's really rather good. But if the crashing is serious and frequent enough to make Google pull the app
altogether it's clearly more serious than the odd system hang. And you still have access to your free channels, so at least you're not losing those too. You might also like Best free streaming services : these ones are still around! 5 great free movies with over 87% on Rotten Tomatoes to stream on Tubi, Amazon Freevee and more this week Paradox of choice: Tubi CEO explains how the free streaming service is making entertainment easy and fun again



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/streaming/google-tvs-new-free-streaming-app-has-been -removed-and-it-wont-be-back-right-away


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