You can probably blame Google Play and the cut it takes
Google is presently doubling down on its efforts to enforce its billing methods — and, thus, make developers fork over a fee if they want to make money with in-app purchases. A Google Play policy deadline that took effect in April — after an initial announcement in 2020 — is forcing developers to make in-app transactions through its own billing system. This change notably affected the Barnes & Noble and Amazon Audible apps, which have removed the ability to purchase new titles through Android phones. It looks like Hulu might be the next service to fall victim to this change, as any subscription-related charges will now need to be done through the website rather than the app.
As spotted by 9to5Google, as of the latest update, the Hulu app on Android phones and TVs no longer offers the ability to sign up to the service, either as a new paying customer or for a free trial. If you want to join Hulu, you’ll need to enter the service using the website on your phone or another device. Once you have your credentials, you will then be able to log into the Android app. The new splash screen notifying users of the change says the following:
Are you trying to sign up for Hulu?
Sorry, we’re unable to do sign ups in the app. If you’re already a subscriber, log in below to start watching.
Hulu hasn’t confirmed or denied that this change is related to Google’s policy enforcement efforts, but it’s not hard to connect the dots, given the app isn’t even directing users to sign up through other means or mentioning the free trial at all. So, if you’re not yet a Hulu subscriber, you can expect the sign-up process to be a little more inconvenient now.
We’ve reached out to Hulu for clarification, and we will update this article if we hear back.
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