YouTube’s live-TV streaming service, YouTube TV, is finally available in dozens of locations. We’ve got all the detail on the new service.
YouTube’s own live-TV streaming service, aptly named YouTube TV, is now available in more than 40 cities across the U. S., a marked increase from its initial launch in just a few places –Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area. YouTube TV, which is among the ever-growing list of live TV streamers that includes Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and DirecTV Now, now also supports AirPlay, which means you can use the service with your Apple TV.
YouTube TV support has been expanded again as of late October 2017, with a dedicated YouTube TV app available for Android TV, Nvidia Shield, and the entire Xbox One console family (Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X).
YouTube TV costs$35 per month, but parent company Google offers a free 30-day trial for all new users. To sweeten the deal, Google will, for a limited time, also provide customers with a free Chromecast after the first monthly payment is made. A monthly subscription lands you more than 50 channels, including live content from the four major networks — ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox — as well as a wide range of sports channels and a number of other cable staples like USA, FX, and plenty more. Users will also have access to original online video content from YouTube’s subscription-based YouTube Red service.
Showtime and Fox Sports Plus are currently the only two networks available as add-ons, at $15 and $11 per month, respectively.
AMC Network channels, which include AMC, IFC, BBC America, BBC World and others, will be added to the service in the near future at no extra charge. ESPN3, Telemundo, NBC Universo, and Local Now are also poised to join the channel roster soon. Sundance and Shudder will be available as add-ons in the future.
Users will be able to stream content directly on their iOS or Android devices, or in their web browsers, much like watching regular YouTube videos. While YouTube TV launched with exclusive support for Google’s Chromecast devices, the addition of AirPlay could herald even more compatibility in the future. The YouTube TV update featuring AirPlay can now be found on the App Store.
YouTube TV has some impressive perks. Up to six profiles can be set up on one account, and the service allows for up to three simultaneous streams per account, so you won’t have to argue over whose turn it is to watch. Google is providing unlimited DVR storage on its servers as well, allowing users to watch and record content no matter where they are — creating stiff competition for its rivals in the space. Users will also have access to a highly flexible unlimited cloud DVR that will store recorded programming for up to nine months.
Now that YouTube TV has extended support to more than 40 markets, it’s becoming easier to get access to the service. To check if your city is included, check out the availability section of the official YouTube TV website. More cities will be added in the future, so if yours isn’t listed, be sure to keep checking. We will, of course, be sure to update this post with any important developments as they happen.
Update: Added YouTube TV app availability on Android TV, Nvidia Shield, and Xbox One.
