TL;DR
- Google has confirmed to Android Authority that, starting this month, new Google TV devices will have a button labeled “Free TV” or “Live TV” on their remotes.
- Tapping this button will open the Live tab, where you can access over 150 free TV channels from Google TV FreePlay.
- A few Google TV devices, such as the Onn 4K Pro from Walmart, already have this button.
Google TV offers a wide selection of streaming services, so you’ll never run out of things to watch. The platform also provides access to over 150 free, live TV channels, which are easily accessible from the “Live” tab on the home screen. Currently, some Google TV devices provide quick access to these live TV channels with a dedicated “Free TV” button on the remote, but soon, more devices will include this feature.
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In early 2023, Google began widely rolling out a “Live” tab to Google TV devices that provided access to free ad-supported television (FAST) channels like BBC Earth, Court TV, Hallmark Movies, Hell’s Kitchen, and more. The Google TV Freeplay library currently consists of over 150 live TV channels that you can watch directly from the home screen without installing any apps or paying a subscription.
Joe Maring / Android Authority
Last year, some Google TV devices hit the market with new remotes that included a large “Free TV” button. This was the case for the Onn 4K Pro from Walmart, but, oddly, not for Google’s own Google TV Streamer. Tapping the button opens the “Live” tab on the Google TV home screen. While quick access to a popular Google TV feature is convenient, some reviewers criticized the button as being too large and unnecessary, especially given that customization requires a button mapper app.
A photo of one of the remotes that ships with the Onn 4K Pro from Walmart.
It’s not unusual to have a button dedicated to launching an app or service — most TV remotes now have a dedicated Netflix button — but this “Free TV” button is currently limited to a small number of Google TV devices. That’s changing soon. According to a source, Google informed its OEM partners that, starting in April 2025, all new Google TV devices must feature a remote with a “Free TV” or “Live TV” button that opens Google TV Freeplay. Google reportedly informed OEMs of this requirement early last year, giving them ample time to prepare.
A Google spokesperson confirmed the change to Android Authority, stating that Google has “received overwhelmingly positive feedback from users” since launching Google TV Freeplay and that this new button “will provide a consistent experience with quick access for users.”
“Google TV gives users access to a wide range of free TV options, including local news, popular shows and movies. Since we launched free live TV options on Google TV, we’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from users, and this change will help provide a consistent experience with quick access at users’ fingertips.” – Google spokesperson
Google didn’t give us any details about the required size, color, or placement of the “Free TV” or “Live TV” button. The company also didn’t share whether this requirement is regional or worldwide. However, we were told that, even with this new requirement, OEMs will still be able to customize the rest of the remote to meet their customers’ needs. As a result, Google TV remotes will still differ somewhat between manufacturers, although they’re now guaranteed to share at least one button.
