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No one would blame you for being a bit confused sometimes when it comes to the differences in Google’s large-screen television offerings. There’s Google TV, Android TV, and YouTube TV: and they are all different things. While that’s not likely to change anytime soon and each technically has its place, I’ve long thought Google could do better by its users in creating a bit more cohesion between the experiences offered in their apps. And a small, recent change (spotted by a user on Reddit – via 9to5 Google) in the YouTube TV channel guide does just that.
Earlier this year, Google TV introduced a new feature that allows users to browse free built-in channels via a brand-new “Live” tab in Google TV. This tab isn’t just a static set of channels, though – it adapts based on your installed apps. For example, upon installing YouTube TV, users will find their favorite channels incorporated right into this tab, eliminating the need to open the YouTube TV app separately in many cases.
However, there are plenty of times where you’ll still be navigating in the actual YouTube TV app, too, so Google has refreshed the channel guide to make the disparity between the Google TV and YouTube TV guides far less. There are still small differences, but moving from one to the other feels far less jarring now.
One of the prominent design changes can be found in the channel tiles and their new, rounded edges. Additionally, a slightly darker background has been implemented, enhancing readability for both current and upcoming shows. While the redesign isn’t some massive change, it is a move that should visually aide users as they navigate the UI and Google’s own YouTube TV app as it aligns both Google TV and YouTube TV in terms of design language.
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