At the end of February, Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc. announced its new live-TV streaming platform, YouTube TV. Now, for a monthly fee, viewers can take advantage of live content from a number of US networks and channels, plus record their favourite shows on a cloud-based DVR. We take a look at how it works and whether it will come to the UK.
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Is YouTube TV just another Netflix rival?
There will be some on-demand content available, as YouTube TV will also include the original series created for the YouTube Red subscription service.
Isn’t live TV a bit dated now?
Well, yes it is, but plenty of people still tune in to see things as they happen, rather than gorge themselves on box-sets on demand. Sports is a prime example of when you want to watch live, and the ESPN channels on YouTube TV will satiate fans’ hunger. Then of course there are shows such as The Voice and X Factor which rely on audiences to call in and vote for their favourite acts.
Essentially YouTube TV is a cheaper alternative to US cable TV, offering a slice of live action without the long term subscriptions and dedicated hardware requirements.
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How much does YouTube TV cost and when will it launch?
YouTube TV has a flat fee of $35 per month for which you get six individual accounts to distribute among your family members and friends. Unlike YouTube Red though you’ll still see ads between, and presumably during, shows.
YouTube TV is due to launch in the next few months, but initially the service will only be available in the US. There are plans to extend the reach to other countries and we’ll update this article when more details become available.
Will YouTube TV come to the UK?
This is a good question. YouTube Red launched at the end of 2015 and has still to make it to these shores. In theory that is a far easier service to offer around the world as YouTube owns the rights to all the content. With the new YouTube TV there is bound to be territorial copyright negotiations that slow things down. If the service intends to offer the US based channels in the UK then it will be kind of pointless to do it as a live TV channel, mainly due to the time difference which would mean most of the top shows airing in the middle of the night.
With most UK based TV networks already available online through the likes of iPlayer, ITV Player, and others, there only remains the handful of options such as Sky, Virgin, and BT Sport which would be considered eligible for a subscription service. As they all offer their own online portals and pay walls it would seem an odd move to surrender their autonomy in order to join the YouTube TV revolution.
Author: Martyn Casserly, Contributor, Tech Advisor
Martyn has been involved with tech ever since the arrival of his ZX Spectrum back in the early 80s. He covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews.
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