In the United States, Google TV has made significant strides in enhancing viewer experience by offering access to over 150 free, ad-supported channels. Recently, the introduction of the Google TV Freeplay app promised to elevate this experience further by incorporating a live programming guide. However, this new feature has faced unexpected technical challenges, leading to the app’s temporary suspension.
Google TV Freeplay app’s new features were causing crashes, so Google disabled it
The revamped Freeplay app began its rollout in early September, aiming to simplify the user experience that previously involved a cumbersome search for channels and shows. The addition of a programming guide was anticipated to transform how users interacted with the app. Unfortunately, reports indicated that this guide was linked to crashes on various devices.
As noted by 9to5Google, the Google TV Freeplay app vanished from all Google TV devices this week, with the exception of the latest Google TV Streamer, which continues to function without issues. The reasons behind the app’s disappearance were initially unclear, as not all users were aware of the underlying crash problems. However, an official statement from Google provided clarity on the situation.
“While rolling out the new Google TV Freeplay guide, we discovered an issue that can increase crashes for some users. We have disabled access to the new guide on affected devices until the fix is in place. The fix will begin rolling out soon, and the updated guide will be available for all Google TV devices in the coming months,” a spokesperson for the company explained.
Freeplay could be back soon without the live guide
In light of this information, it appears that “affected devices” refers to all Google TV products except for the latest Streamer. While Google has indicated that a fix will be available “soon,” they have also mentioned that the updated guide will roll out “in the coming months.” This suggests that the Google TV Freeplay app may return shortly, albeit potentially without the enhancements that were initially promised. Users are hopeful that a revised version of the app, complete with all the new features, will not take long to arrive.
