YouTube TV apps for Roku and Apple TV are reportedly facing delays and will not launch until early 2018, according to a new report.
Targeting cord-cutters, YouTube TV is a live TV service that costs $35 per month and aims to compete with cable TV. The paid service is different from the free YouTube, which features a slew of funny cat videos, various channels and shows, how-to videos, tutorials, and whatnot.
YouTube TV Apps For Roku And Apple TV Delayed
YouTube said back in October that it would release YouTube TV apps in "the coming weeks," but it has not fully lived up to its promise. Apple TV and Roku, two of the largest platforms of their kind, were supposed to get their YouTube TV apps by the end of this year, yet they are still waiting for the apps and will not get them until the first quarter of next year, CNET reports.
Smart TVs from older generations, such as Samsung TVs from 2014 and 2015, and Sony TVs running a Linux-based OS will reportedly get YouTube TV apps in the first quarter of 2018 as well.
YouTube TV Availability
YouTube TV is available globally in more than 80 cities, offering access to both local and big-brand channels. The paid service is currently available for smartphones and tablets running Android or iOS, PC browsers, and TV-connected devices such as the Xbox One, Chromecast, Android TV, LG smart TVs from 2016 and 2017, and Samsung smart TVs from 2016 and 2017.
While YouTube TV is still new to the scene, it faces hefty competition from heavyweight rivals such as AT&T's DirecTV Now, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, and PlayStation Vue. All these rival services are already available on most devices, including Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV.
YouTube TV, meanwhile, will take longer to hit Apple TV and Roku, and PlayStation and Amazon Fire TV apps are not even in the cards at this point. The company might eventually decide to include Fire TV and PlayStation apps as well, but it has no such plans for now.
Other than the vague Q1 2018 time frame, no additional information is currently available for when YouTube TV apps will hit Roku, Apple TV, and older-generation smart TVs from Sony and Samsung. The company should offer more details close to launch, and we'll keep you up to date as soon as we learn more.
