AT&T's DirecTV Now service will soon stop supporting Safari and exclusively work on Chrome starting July.
The news was announced in the form of a notification that greeted users upon logging into the over-the-top streaming service. It informed them that DirecTV Now will only be supporting Chrome and several mobile and TV apps going forward, throwing in a Google Chrome download link for good measure.
AT&T DirecTV Now On Desktop Will Soon Be Exclusive To Chrome
"For our best streaming experience, DirecTV Now will live exclusively on Google Chrome when accessed via your computer," reads the notification, as first reported by AppleInsider. "We will no longer be supporting Safari or Internet Explorer browsers after June."
Of course, the removal of support for other browsers is bad news for those who have been streaming DirecTV Now via Safari or Internet Explorer. Seriously, though — Internet Explorer at this day and age? Well, whatever floats your boat. All told, the announcement isn't that surprising, seeing as how the DirecTV Now's support page already recommends Chrome for online streaming.
Thus far, the notification seems to be the only notice mentioning the move to Chrome, with no mention of it in the service's support pages. AT&T also hasn't officially announced it, so it's possible that things could change between now and July.
As per the notice, users will only have until the end of June to make the switch to Chrome. Afterward, support for other browsers will halt completely. Why AT&T is choosing to go this route is unclear; perhaps it's a compatibility adjustment, or perhaps AT&T's DirecTV Now subscribers are mostly using Chrome on desktop, therefore urging it to drop support for other browsers. It's still uncertain, especially with no word from AT&T other than confirming that the screenshot is "accurate."
AT&T DirecTV Now
AT&T launched DirecTV Now in November 2016 as an alternative to cable TV, pulling in 200,000 subscribers within its first month. It suffered from several performance issues initially, with users unable to stream content and feeds suffering problems at peak viewing periods.
AT&T customers who are on the $60-a-month Unlimited Choice wireless plan can subscribe to DirecTV Now for an additional fee of $10 per month. The bundle option became available on Friday, June 2.
The DirecTV Now service is perfect for cord-cutters, especially those keen on avoiding cable altogether. It's a natural evolution of an era with a particular inclination to streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and others. DirecTV Now, like PlayStation Vue and Sling TV, attempt to disrupt the typical cable TV landscape.
DirecTV Now requires an internet connection, of course, and supported gadgets, such as Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, select Roku models, Android smartphones and tablets 4.4 or higher, Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Chromecast, and Google Cast on supported Vizio and LeEco televisions.
Have you been streaming DirecTV Now using a browser other than Chrome? How do you feel about AT&T switching over to Chrome exclusively? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
