Sometimes, even the little updates make a big difference for a live TV streaming service. In the case of YouTube TV, a long-awaited change is arriving November 10: a clock will appear on the live TV guide. The announcement came in the form of a tongue-in-cheek PSA airing on the service.
Right now, YouTube TV subscribers can scroll through channels, but it’s difficult to know what time it is - the programming only appears with the start times of the programs currently on the air. That can cause frustration as viewers won’t know how much more time remains in a program.
It’s about *time*. The clock feature is here! pic.twitter.com/HpOOWCBvev
— YouTube TV (@YouTubeTV) November 11, 2022
YouTube TV says if you don’t see the clock yet, it will appear shortly across all devices.
Changes like this are not unprecedented. Sling TV added the clock to their live guide in 2021
In 2022, YouTube TV has been extremely slow to introduce new benefits for subscribers. While other services have added some real benefits in 2022, YouTube TV remains largely unchanged, with the exception of a few minor channel additions, small interface tweaks, and support for Dolby Digital 5.1.
YouTube TV hasn’t added any of the major channels missing from its list: A&E, History or Lifetime. It hasn’t included 4K for all subscribers. It hasn’t extended the length of its DVR storage.
Its biggest value is that it hasn’t increased the price of the base plan in over a year, while many competitors have gone up.
In the past year, Hulu Live TV added The Disney Bundle and an unlimited DVR, while DIRECTV STREAM added an unlimited DVR and unlimited at-home streams, in addition to wide access to RSNs.
It’s entirely possible YouTube TV’s momentum has been slowed by its late-2021 battles with NBCUniversal and Disney. With the NFL season in full swing, those companies used their channels as leverage to negotiate some sort of deal with YouTube TV. Whatever arrangement came of those fights may have eaten up money that YouTube TV had earmarked for service improvements.
While there’s still a lot to like about YouTube TV, it’s not keeping up with its rivals. If you’re a subscriber, it’s worth re-evaluating that relationship. The competing platforms seem to offer a better value these days.