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Android TV users are getting a special treat from Google today with the arrival of live TV. As part of a new feature added to the Android TV platform called the Live Lab, users can watch a wide array of content from a collection of free channels.
As of right now this is a feature that only users in the US are getting access to. Google doesn’t mention when or if it will expand out to other regions, unfortunately. If you happen to use an Android TV device or have a TV with Android TV as the platform, and you’re in the US, you may start seeing the Live Lab today. Google does state though that this will be rolling out to users in the US over the next few weeks. So there is a good chance that most users won’t be able to access the free live TV yet.
You may also notice that some live TV content has been mixed into your recommendations. This is by design and is based on things like your favorite teams, channels, and shows.
Live TV on Android TV comes from multiple providers
You might be quite surprised at how much free TV there is out there to actually watch. With the Live Lab, users will get access to over 800 channels from Tubi, Plex, Pluto TV, and Haystack.
The channels included span a pretty wide set of broadcast networks. And will include news channels from CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX. Additionally, Google says the Live Lab also includes global channels. And there’s support for more than 10 different languages including Japanese, Spanish, and Hindi.
The Live Lab also supports saving channels as favorites so you can easily get back to watching what you like most. It’s been a long time coming, but live TV is finally here. Although, Google TV users have been enjoying it since 2021.