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- Google has confirmed to Android Authority That, from this month, new Google TV devices will have a button marked “Free TV” or “Live TV” on the remote controls.
- Tapping this button will open the live tab, where you can access over 150 free TV channels from Google TV FreePlay.
- A few Google TV devices, such as OnN 4K Pro from Walmart, already have this button.
Google Offers a wide selection of streaming services so you never run out of things to watch. The platform also provides access to over 150 free TV channels, which are easily accessible from the “Live” tab on the Home screen. At the moment, some Google TV devices provide quick access to these live TV channels with a dedicated “free TV” button on the remote control, but soon more devices will include this feature.
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At the beginning of 2023, Google started rolling out a “live” tab of Google TV devices that provided access to free ad-supported TV (fast) channels like BBC Earth, Court TV, Hallmark movies, Hell’s Kitchen and more. The Google TV FreePlay Library currently consists of over 150 live TV channels that you can see directly from the home screen without installing any apps or paying a subscription.
Joe Maring / Android Authority
Last year, some Google TV devices hit the market with new remote controls that included a large “free TV” button. This was the case for Onn 4K Pro from WalmartBut strangely enough, not for Google’s own Google TV -Stream. Tapping the button opens the “Live” tab on the Google TV start screen. Although quick access to a popular Google TV feature is convenient, some reviewers criticized the button as too large and unnecessary, especially given that adaptation requires a Button folder -app.
An image of one of the remote controls supplied with OnN 4K Pro from Walmart.
It is not uncommon to have a button dedicated to starting an app or service -most TV remote control now has a dedicated Netflix button -but this “free TV” button is currently limited to a small number of Google TV devices. It will change soon. According to a source, Google’s OEM partners informed that from April 2025, all new Google TV devices must contain a remote control with a “free TV” or “Live TV” button that opens Google TV FreePlay. Google allegedly informed OEM about this requirement early last year, giving them plenty of time to prepare.
A Google spokesperson confirmed the change to Android AuthorityWho says Google has “received overwhelming positive feedback from users” since launch of Google TV FreePlay and that this new button “will provide a smooth experience with quick access for users.”
“Google TV gives users access to a wide range of free TV options, including local news, popular shows and movies. Since we launched free Live -TV options on Google TV, we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from users, and this change will help provide a smooth experience with quick access to users’ fingertips.” – Google spokesperson
Google gave us no details about the required size, color or location of the “Free TV” or “Live TV” button. The company also did not share whether this requirement is regional or worldwide. However, we were told that even with this new requirement, OEMs will still be able to adapt the rest of the remote control to meet the customers’ needs. As a result, Google TV remote controls will still differ slightly between manufacturers, even though they will now surely share at least one button.