YouTube TV, Google’s response to streaming TV, has just launched in another handful of markets. This update brings support for 8 more markets which includes Albuquerque, Austin, Birmingham, Greenville, Norfolk, Portland, Raleigh and Sacramento. Now users in these markets can sign up for YouTube TV, which will cost them $35 per month. It has many cable channels, although there are some missing as is the case with most streaming TV options out there right now. YouTube TV does also have the ability to be streamed on multiple devices simultaneously and there is also DVR support – which is unlimited.
Google has been taking its sweet time in rolling out YouTube TV to additional markets, and this is because it is only rolling it out to markets that have the majority if not all of its local channels available. Whereas other competitors out there are missing out on a ton of local channels in a lot of markets. Which is making it tough for some users to really cut the cord. Google is one of the few that has CBS available in every market that it is currently in. CBS is actually coming to more and more services now – it’s available on PlayStation Vue and DIRECTV NOW for now, and should be landing on others in the near future.
YouTube TV has just one plan, so you get all of its channels whether you want them or not. There is about 50 or so channels available in the markets where YouTube TV is available. Many of the basic cable TV channels are available, but there are some missing like CNN and Comedy Central. However, since Google is always working on getting more and more channels on-board, there is a chance that these, and other channels will become available in the next few months. While Google is missing some channels that others have, it does have features that others don’t like DVR. However, arguably it’s biggest downfall is the lack of apps. For instance, YouTube TV doesn’t have a single TV app, not even on Android TV – which is a Google platform. So the only way to watch YouTube TV on an actual TV is by casting over Chromecast.