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YouTube TV Offering Select Subscribers TiVo Stream 4K During Roku Dispute, Ahead of 4K Add-On

YouTube TV began notifying select subscribers that they are eligible for a free TiVo Stream 4K, which is based on Android TV. This comes in the middle of a carriage dispute with Roku, which saw the official YouTube TV app dropped on the platform. Existing subscribers are still eligible to use it, while new ones can access YouTube TV via the YouTube App.

In the email to subscribers, YouTube TV said:

To ensure our loyal YouTube TV members have a great watch experience (including the ability to watch 4K content on our optional new add-on service coming soon!), we want to offer you a free TiVo® Stream 4K device.

In the e-mail, YouTube TV teased their new add-on that will include 4K content. In February, it was revealed that a new premium add-on would be coming, which would add 4K streaming, the ability to download shows offline, and watch unlimited simultaneous streams in your home. At the time, the company said that the new features would be available in the “coming weeks”, but it has not yet arrived.

In mid-April, the company began testing 4K channel streaming behind-the-scenes, which leaked to customers. But, the channels weren’t accessible to end users.

Roku is accusing Google of both “predatory” and “monopoly” behavior. According to Roku, Google is “attempting to use its YouTube monopoly position to force Roku into accepting predatory, anti-competitive and discriminatory terms that will directly harm Roku and our users.

YouTube said: “We’re disappointed that they chose to make baseless claims while we continue our ongoing negotiations. All of our work with them has been focused on ensuring a high quality and consistent experience for our viewers. We have made no requests to access user data or interfere with search results. We hope we can resolve this for the sake of our mutual users.”


Jason Gurwin has has spent the last 10 years in the technology, media, entertainment industries. For The Streamable, he specializes in all things media like streaming services, devices, and cord cutting.

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