Alphabet Inc.’s GOOG GOOGL Google has revealed plans to retire Google Play Movies & TV come January, guiding users towards alternative platforms for their digital entertainment consumption.
What Happened: Google is readying to drop Google Play Movies & TV permanently. The tech behemoth has already migrated Android and iOS users to the Google TV app, pulled the app from most Roku and smart TVs, and removed the app from Android TV in October, reported The Verge.
Google has also clarified how users can access their bought content after the app’s discontinuation.
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From Jan. 17, content can be viewed from the Shop tab for Android TV-powered TVs or streaming devices. For Android TV-run cable boxes or set-top boxes and browsers, users will be guided to the YouTube app from the same day.
The shift from Google Play Movies & TV has been incremental, with the Android TV application currently redirecting users to the Shop tab.
It is pertinent to note that Google guarantees users will continue to have access to their purchased content, albeit via a different platform.
Why It Matters: This decision comes on the heels of a significant legal blow to Google.
Google’s Android app store faced a federal jury ruling against it in a lawsuit lodged by Epic Games. The lawsuit pointed toward the tech giant’s misuse of antitrust barriers, which negatively affected consumers and software developers.
The jury’s decision focused on Google’s Play store, which is used globally by hundreds of millions to download apps for Android smartphones.
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