Cordcutting Fortnightly provides readers with a collection of news in cordcutting that has occurred over the past two weeks.
Boomerang Launches OTT Service
Boomerang, a TV channel for classic cartoons, now lets users stream cartoons through any mobile device with their new service. The service runs for $5 a month and has support for phones, although not set-top boxes. They say that Chromecast support is coming soon.
Hulu’s TV Service to Cost $40/month
, Hulu’s upcoming Internet television service will cost $40 each month for subscribers. The price would include full access to Hulu, whose service currently contains on-demand episodes and original shows, which is $8 each month. Pricing and channel line-up isn’t final, but it will likely be competitive. Platform support has not been announced, so it is hard to say whether it’ll come to smart TVs. Android TV does have a Hulu app, so it isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
eSports Come to PlayStation Vue
The PlayStation Vue, Sony’s Internet TV service, is getting from ESL. This will offer US audiences for the first time to watch 24/7 coverage of video games. This could be a small but critical move in competing with large sports media such as ESPN. The PlayStation Vue is available for Android TV if you’re a subscriber to the service.
NBC To Offer Live Broadcasting of 2018 Olympics
Coming early next year is the next Olympic games, hosted in PyeongChang County, South Korea. Audiences in the United States have been accustomed to watching the opening and many events hours after they actually happen, as NBC delays the broadcasting. They have been criticized for this while many viewers turned to international streams just to watch live. NBC is saying for these next games things will be broadcast live to everyone, without any more delays. There were many ways for cordcutters to watch the Olympics last year, and we will let readers know how they can watch these sporting events when they happen.
Facebook Adds 360-degree Live Streaming
Live streaming seems to be a big part of Facebook’s strategy going forward, with a fifth of videos currently live. They’ve recently added a new feature to let users with to start streaming immediately to users. This would have great vertical integration with their Oculus Rift headsets, allowing for a virtually endless supply of VR content. Facebook has been opening their videos to other platforms, such as Samsung TVs. No Android TV app has been announced.
Verizon Planning Internet TV Services
The Verge reports that Verizon will be launching an Internet TV service in the summer, taking advantage of their many years of network partnerships to deliver a solid competitor. Comcast has had a streaming service for a while in a handful of markets, but they’re also working on expanding nationwide their Xfinity Instant TV service. Verizon’s service would be priced competitively and be available to non-Verizon customers. It will likely not be available to devices like Apple TV or Android TV as it would end up affecting their cable services.
YouTube TV Launches in Several Markets
YouTube TV officially launched in several markets with dozens of channels and an unlimited DVR. If you live in the regions of you can get started with a one-month free trial and then the service costs $35/month. While you can cast video, native TV support isn’t available. That may change in the future.