Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Google Play Movies & TV users’ 4K libraries are about to grow on their own

By

Google has been slowly but steadily improving its Google Play Movies & TV service all year. In March, the app was updated to show you where to stream your favorite movies and TV shows on various services including HBO Now, Starz, and Showtime. Then, in May, its Roku app was updated with a fresh coat of paint and better browsing. Good as they were, both of those updates pale in comparison to the 4K-centric changes the service announced today.

We’ll start with the biggest news first: If you’re a longtime Google Play Movies & TV user, your collection of 4K content is about to grow big time — and without you having to spend a dime. Google announced that movies you already own will be automatically upgraded to 4K at no cost, regardless of the resolution you originally bought them in, whether it was HD or even SD. Just open the app and you’ll see right away which movies have been upgraded.

Recommended Videos

The service is also adding support for 4K content on more devices. In addition to 4K Sony Bravia TVs, which already had support for 4K content via the Google Play Movies & TV app, most 4K Samsung TVs will now have access to 4K content using the app as well. If you’re an LG owner, don’t worry, as Google says it is currently working on adding support for 4K content on capable LG TVs as well.

In the same vein as this year’s earlier Roku update mentioned above, Google is bringing an improved experience to other devices. TVs from Samsung, LG, and Vizio are all getting an updated Google Play Movies & TV app with a more modern look and feel.

The upgrade process for movies from participating studios is rolling out now, so you can expect to see your shiny new 4K content fairly soon. Even if some of your favorites aren’t upgraded, don’t worry, as Google says that it will continue to roll out upgrades as more 4K streams become available from other participating studios. If you want 4K but aren’t all-in on the Google ecosystem, take a look at our guide on where to find the best 4K content.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Kris Wouk
Kris Wouk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
What is Google TV? Here’s everything you need to know
The Google TV home screen on a Hisense UX.

Google TV is one of the best streaming platforms, and it’s available on a wide range of devices. From smart TVs to plug-and-play HDMI gadgets like the Chromecast with Google TV 4K and HD models, you can do all kinds of cool things with Google TV. Of course, streaming movies and shows from the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video is the most basic thing this web-connected OS can do. 

You can also use Google TV to cast content from a mobile device to your TV, and can even call upon Google Assistant to control some of your smart home devices. We love that Google TV keeps tabs on your viewing history, too, in order to curate suggested movies and shows right on the home page. 

Read more
Let’s discuss an Apple TV 4K with a camera
An actual picture of an Apple TV, with a camera lens added by Photoshop's generative AI feature.

This Apple TV with a camera is not real — it's a product of a real Apple TV 4K and Photoshop. And that's likely as close as you'll get to one. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Here’s a not-so-secret secret about tech companies: They discuss all the things all of the time. Good ideas. Bad ideas. Good ideas that turn out to be bad. Bad ideas that, surprisingly, turn out to be good.

Read more
Vizio’s first 86-inch 4K TV is coming soon, for $999
Vizio 86-inch 4K TV.

While much of the recent attention on Vizio has been connected to its imminent acquisition by retail giant Walmart, the TV maker has just announced its first TV to break the 75-inch screen size barrier. The new 4K TV model has an 86-inch screen and will be available on April 29 for $999, a price that undercuts almost every other 86-inch model from competitors.

Along with this new TV, Vizio has also announced a major rebranding of its TV model categories.

Read more