Google is rolling out a new update to Android TV that adds a curated content row at the top of the screen and an Apple-like subscription feature that enables one-click signups for paid streaming services like Starz.
The update was announced on the Google Blog, where we got to see the new curated content row in action.
When the update hits, you’ll see four shows or films that have been hand-selected by Google with an accompanying short video snippet preview. Click on it, and you’ll be directly sent to the content.
Of course, if you don’t already have access to that streaming service, you’ll be prompted to sign up for it using Android TV’s new one-touch subscription feature that plugs in all your information automatically and enrolls you in the service.
According to Google, the easy enrollment feature is starting first with the Starz app, DC Universe, and EPIX NOW, and will then be rolled out to other streaming services.
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Android TV vs Apple TV
Now, no one would ever mistake the unmistakable rows of Android TV for the placard-heavy UI of Apple TV, but the new curated content section and one-touch subscription signups do bear some resemblance to Apple's tvOS.
If you've never used it before, tvOS has a similar one-touch signup feature that allows you to connect any streaming service to your Apple ID, allowing you to login without having to create a separate account – pretty much just what Android TV will offer starting with this next update.
That's not to say Apple was the first to develop the idea – in fact, Google and Facebook have both used a similar feature to login to third-party apps without having to sign up for separate accounts for years, so it only makes sense to bring it to Android TV, too.
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