Does the YouTube brand eventually replace Google TV?

Like YouTube Music replacing Play Music, I do wonder if Google TV will eventually be subsumed by YouTube from a product and branding perspective.

9to5Google has a rebooted newsletter that highlights the biggest Google stories with added commentary and other tidbits. Sign up to get it early in your inbox, or continue reading 9to5Google Log Out below:

Most of the discovery and all of the store/purchasing capabilities of Google TV, previously Play Movies & TV, can be found in YouTube today. Accessing purchases in the YouTube app takes a bit longer but is more than possible.

Google TV’s big advantage, and why I use the app today, is how it acts as a directory for streaming services. Going to a movie or show listing will let you see where it’s available. However, that functionality is also available in Google Search, which is more ubiquitous and doesn’t require a separate app.

While I think both of those core Google TV competencies are worth having in a focused, standalone application, will Google share that belief in the long run?

In terms of advantages, YouTube has a pretty good official collection of free movies and television shows. There are also unofficial uploads, which are perpetual gold mines. In this regard, YouTube is both the provider and content directory that people are already familiar with. YouTube also already has the same movie purchasing abilities as Google TV, syncing with other means of purchasing with your Google account.

One complication in getting rid of Google TV as a brand is the operating system that shares the name. I think that particular part of Google TV has a long lifespan, but at the same time, a YouTube experience and/or dongle could be interesting, given that the brand is synonymous with entertainment and media, more so than Google is.

Does it eventually make sense for the company to consolidate all media-related products under YouTube as part of an efficiency drive? It’s already happening with podcasts, with the Google-branded experience likely in maintenance mode, especially after RSS support is added to YouTube Music. Once that capability is added, I’m personally ready to switch over full-time for podcasts. Whatever complaints you have about YouTube Music (especially as a Play Music user who doesn’t appreciate the more general audience focus), its pace of testing and updates is commendable.

Anyways, chime in with your comments below. How do you use the Google TV mobile app?

Sources: Pixel Watch 2 getting Fitbit revamp, thermometer, Personal Safety upgrade

• Here’s the new Pixel Watch 2 metal slim band

Nest Hub Max ending Google Meet and Zoom support in September

You can still make video calls on the Nest Hub Max… using Google Duo

Nest devices now limited to one Google Home speaker group

Fitbit app redesign starts rolling out to Android and iOS

Bard Extensions let Google access your Gmail and Docs to get things done

Google TV’s next chip upgrade is coming

Android 13 September security update rolling out for Pixel

Google on the Pixel Camera Bar’s design and evolution

Your Android phone can automatically ‘archive’ apps you don’t use – how to turn it on

Stadia’s death was due to a ‘self-sustaining cycle’ of lacking games and players, lead says

Massive leak details Xbox roadmap through 2030, including cloud gaming controller

9to5Mac: The best iOS 17 apps with interactive widgets, StandBy support, and more

Electrek: Joby Aviation selects birthplace of flight as home to its first scaled eVTOL production facility

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.