This week Walmart released their "onn." collection of Android TV devices, for real this time. These devices have appeared in leaks more than once before - now they're out there in the real world, for sale. There's a 4K Streaming Device and an FHD Streaming Stick in the mix, both at Walmart stores across the United States.
Only weeks after Google merged its main YouTube and YouTube TV apps on Roku, the company is back with a similar update for the latest Vizio smart TVs. Assuming you have a supported model, you'll be able to access YouTube TV from within the regular YouTube app, eliminating the need to install and toggle between two different products.
South Korean boy band BTS has likely set another YouTube record for most views in a 24-hour period on a debut song...the same record it already held with its previous hit "Dynamite." The band's new hit, "Butter," raked in nearly 113 million views on its first day on YouTube, skyrocketing past the former debut streaming hit Dynamite's 101.1 million views in 24 hours.
It seems Roku and Google are the latest platforms in a squabble over YouTube, this one concerning the YouTube TV app in particular. A dispute between the two companies resulted in Roku removing the YouTube TV app listing from its platform around a week ago, but now Google is back with a change to the main app that gets around the issue.
PlayStation 5 owners who happen to be subscribed to YouTube TV will probably be happy to hear that a YouTube TV app has appeared on the console. While an app for YouTube proper has been available on the console since launch day, it's taken months for YouTube TV to head to PlayStation 5. Of course, there probably aren't a ton of YouTube TV subscribers who have a PlayStation 5 at the moment, given the rarity of the console.
This week Google began a limited YouTube experiment with some users on some videos. Like other YouTube "feature experiments", you might see this feature on a few videos, or you might not see it at all. In some cases, users are able to opt in or out. In this case, there's a way to know for sure if you're part of the party.
![YouTube TV Roku app gone: What comes next [UPDATE: YouTube statement]](https://www.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/youtubetv_roku-1280x720.jpg)
Today the YouTube TV app was removed from Roku as Google and Roku did not reach an agreement for license extension. The contract between the companies would have required that Roku agree to terms with which they suggest they're not comfortable. These terms would apparently place Google apps and services at the top of search results, and provide Google with user tracking data Roku says they should not need.
If you have a habit of watching YouTube videos while on a mobile data connection but you don't want to pay for YouTube Premium to get offline video access, there's a new way to save data. The company has rolled out new video options on Android and iOS that make it easy for users to select a lower-quality video, one intended to cut down on the data needed to stream it.
![Your Roku may lose YouTube TV soon: Here’s why [Updated]](https://www.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/rokuout-1280x720.jpg)
If you own a Roku device and depend upon said Roku device for YouTube TV, you might be in for a rude awakening soon. Per an email sent to customers this week on the Roku platform, Google and Roku are in a bit of a dispute. According to Roku, Google is asking to have preferential treatment in search results in the Roku platform - a request Roku suggests they can no longer fulfill.
You have to hand it to Google. It has made using YouTube on both ends an almost magical and painless experience. A YouTuber uploads a single video with nary a care in the world and everyone on the Internet will be able to watch that video in different formats, sizes, and resolutions on different devices. Of course, that magic is made possible only because of the work Google has put behind the scenes. That apparently includes a custom processor whose only job is to process videos uploaded to YouTube which, soon, will also use a relatively young codec that's being pushed as the codec for today's video streaming needs.
Blizzard announced that this weekend Diablo II: Resurrected will be available to play in a limited Technical Alpha experience. This means you won't likely get to keep what you find, and your characters might never see the light of day after said Alpha is complete. BUT you'll get to play... if you're lucky enough to be invited to play. If not, there's always YouTube and Twitch for watching streamers who have said opportunity.
Although all US carriers now offer Android phones on their shelves, T-Mobile has a distinct place in Android history. It is the carrier to actually put its faith in the still-nascent smartphone platform with the T-Mobile G1, a.k.a the HTC Dream. Now it is renewing that close ties not just with Android but with Google's entire ecosystem by betting on some of the tech giant's services, even at the expense of one of its own.