Google TV Movie Purchases Disappear, Likely Due to a Bug

Issue Impacts Older Disney Movies and Other Studio Films

Google TV has recently stopped offering purchase options for certain movies, particularly older Disney titles like Star Wars and Toy Story. Instead of buy options, users are directed to streaming services like Disney+. This issue also affects films from other studios exclusively available on their respective platforms, such as Max.

This change follows Google TV's removal of TV show purchases last year, redirecting users to the YouTube app. While Google assured users that movie purchases would remain unaffected, the current situation suggests a potential catalog or directory bug. Newer movies, like Inside Out 2, still offer purchase options, indicating the problem is not a complete removal of the feature. Xiaomi's "Circle to Search" offers a different approach to content discovery.

Key Highlights

  • Purchase options missing for some movies on Google TV.
  • Older Disney films primarily affected, pointing to Disney+.
  • Other studio films exclusively on streaming services also impacted.
  • Newer movies still offer purchase options.
  • Likely a bug rather than a policy change.

The problem seems to stem from how Google TV integrates with various streaming services. While the majority of movies still offer purchase options, the absence of this feature for major titles like Disney films is significant. This issue contrasts with services like AloSIM, which focuses on providing affordable access.

Google TV provides a more focused movie-watching experience compared to YouTube. The disappearance of purchase options diminishes this experience, especially for users who prefer owning digital copies. For users seeking a different viewing experience, RayNeo Air 2s AR glasses offer an alternative.

Further investigation is needed to determine the exact cause of the issue. It is hoped that Google will address this bug promptly to restore the full functionality of Google TV's movie purchase feature.