If you have a Sony BRAVIA TV or streaming device that runs Android TV software, you might have to change how you watch or access shows and movies very soon. Google has confirmed it is removing the Google Play Movies & TV app from all smart TV devices worldwide from 17 January 2024 as it fully moves its branding for the app to Google TV.
The tech giant started the rebrand several months ago but the old Google Play Movies & TV app will still be working on Android TVs that have it installed, which in the UK includes popular brands such as Sony, LG, JVC, and TCL. You might not even be sure if you have an Android TV, but if you have software on your TV that can download and run apps from these brands then it is likely you do.
Any purchases of TV shows or films in the past you’ve made through Google Play Movies & TV will still be available for you to view, but where you access them from is changing. As spotted by The Verge, Google posted a support document that says from 17 January all TVs and streaming devices that run on Android TV will now show your previous Play Movies purchases in the Shop tab.
This is also where you will be able to buy and rent new movies on your Android TV device. After the update, you can go to the Your Library row in the Shop tab to find everything.
If you have a set-top box or streaming stick running on Android TV from a company such as Roku, from January you’ll be able to watch your purchased items or buy new ones via the YouTube app.
Changes like this can be confusing, especially as Google often changes the branding of its services and app, or kills them entirely. The good news here is that your purchases are not going anywhere, but you will have to keep an eye out when the Google Play Movies & TV app disappears, and follow the above advice in order to find your TV shows and films, or to buy more.
Android TVs and streaming devices can be used in this way to buy digital copies of TV and movies, but they can also install streaming apps such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video so you can stream what you want to watch for a subscription fee rather than buy it. However, many people like to buy content so they can watch it whenever they want, or so they can purchase titles that aren’t available on streaming services.
