Google TV users who were enjoying the recently updated Freeplay app, which provides access to over 150 free channels, are in for a temporary disappointment. The revamped app, featuring a new guide and enhanced features, has been pulled back due to a crashing issue discovered during its rollout.
Disappearance of the App:
Last week, users noticed the disappearance of the updated Freeplay app from their Google TV devices, with the exception of the Google TV Streamer. The revamped app had been gradually rolling out since September, offering a significantly improved user experience compared to the previous version.
Crashing Issue Prompts Rollback:
Google confirmed the rollback in a statement to 9to5Google, explaining that a crashing issue was identified during the rollout, prompting the company to disable the new app on affected devices.
“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,” a Google spokesperson stated to 9to5Google.
Expected Return:
Google assures users that the updated Freeplay app will be available for all Google TV devices in the coming months, once the crashing issue is resolved.
How You Can Still Watch The Free Content
The new Freeplay app may be gone, but you can still access these channels from the live tab on Google TV devices.
Limited Availability:
It’s worth noting that even when the updated app returns, it will only be available for Google TV devices in the United States, as Freeplay is not yet offered globally.