A recent update indicates Google is planning to shut down its Google Play Movies & TV app on several major smart TV platforms: Roku (including TVs and other streaming devices), Samsung, LG, and Vizio. The announcement, via 9to5 Google, adds that the app is set to shut down on June 15, 2021 — though the app itself will continue on other platforms.
The post also mentions users should instead turn to YouTube to access past purchases and to buy or rent new content. Family Library purchases will also be accessible via YouTube, but purchases made directly through YouTube won’t support family sharing.
Google also notes that while the YouTube app is available on devices where the Google Play Movies & TV app is currently supported, content won’t be accessible on LG’s NetCast or SimpleSmart devices.
We’ve known major changes were in store for the Google Play Movies & TV app ever since the company officially announced the Google TV app. And it’s possible this announcement is directly linked to those efforts. The support page also links to another article that lists how you can access purchased content on various platforms, including Android and iOS.
For now, at least, it looks like the biggest changes are coming to the smart TV platforms mentioned above, but we’ll keep a close eye on Google as it continues to shake up its app offerings.