This week Google announced that some essential features of Google Play will be rolling out to Google TV. Though they have been conspicuously absent from Google TV until now, the Google Play app will be getting movies, TV shows, and music, just like that smartphone version has. Google stated in a blog post to the Google TV blog that the updates will “be rolling out to your Google TV over the next few weeks.
Google TV users will be able to buy or rent the content even on other devices, which will make it automatically available through Google TV. Also, the content found in Google Play will be “discoverable” in the TV & Movies Google TV app.
Aside from the content, Google announced that the update will enable other Google Play features to make customers’ and developers’ lives easier. Specifically, the auto-update, subscription billing, and smart app update features of Google Play are now enabled for Google TV.
Though Google TV started as a very niche product for Google fans, the service has become more and more Android-like in its interface and feel. Initially, much of the content that could be accessed through Google TV was blocked by content providers who wanted more control over what viewers could watch on their TVs. Google stuck with the project and made it welcoming to developers by encouraging an “app” ecosystem, much like other streaming boxes and services.