If you own a TV running Google TV, you’ve probably always relied on the essential Google TV apps to access the programs you want. However, thanks to a recent upgrade to the Smart TV platform, you have new options for finding on-demand programs for free. In late August, Google updated the Freeplay streaming service built into Google TV, bringing the ad-supported streaming platform more than 10,000 free on-demand movies and more than 300 live channels with multiple genres, such as crime, sports, news, reality, and more. Some of the new live TV channels now available on Freeplay include Bloomberg TV+, The Martha Stewart Channel, World of Love Island and Yahoo Sports Network.
Google hasn’t released a complete list of all the new on-demand movie titles that will be available. However, in its press release, the company mentioned that its library will include titles from studios including A24 and Lionsgate. Google also announced that it would update the list of titles regularly. You’ll see ads when you watch this content, but since most smart TVs are full of ads these days, you might be numb to watching them at this point. The new on-demand catalog is only available in the United States. To use Freeplay, you need a Google account, a high-speed internet connection and a compatible TV.
How to watch new channels and movies
Using Google TV is a simple process as long as you have a compatible TV. You can find Google TV software on some TVs from manufacturers like Hisense, Sony, and TCL. To watch Freeplay channels on your TV, simply open the Freeplay app from the home screen and start exploring. You need to make sure you have the latest software update installed for the Freeplay app and Google TV to experience the best video quality and speed. Like most streaming services offering titles on demand, you can expect Freeplay to automatically refresh its offerings in the future.
When Freeplay initially launched in early 2023, it was called FAST (free ad-supported streaming television). At the time, it was exclusively a live channel offering. Google TV began marketing its collection of channels under the Freeplay name in late summer 2024, and the new entertainment options are now appearing about two years later. At the time of the name change, Freeplay offered over 150 live TV channels with advertisements for free. The new update means it now has around double the number of live TV channels as well as its new on-demand movie library. This is the first time that Freeplay offers live channels and on-demand titles simultaneously.
