Last month, Google announced YouTube TV would get a new version of multiview that subscribers could use for non-sports content. Now Google is rolling out that functionality for a select number of channels like Bravo, ESPN, and USA, with more to be added over the next few months.
For the unfamiliar, YouTube TV's multiview feature lets you watch up to four streams at once. Your options were limited to preset configurations at launch, but Google has since rolled out a Build a Multiview function that lets subscribers select which streams to include in their multiview feed.
The feature is still in its early stages, and at the moment, you can only select from live sports feeds to build your multiview feed, but that will soon change.
The news came via Reddit of all places, as first spotted by 9to5 Google. On Friday, Google announced it's “experimenting with the ability for YouTube TV members to build a multiview with select channels," starting with a “small list of popular national channels across a variety of content genres.”
During the initial phase, the company's testing channels like ESPN, Bravo, and USA, but these channels could change over time. On that note, Google said it plans to “expand to more, including local channels, over the coming months.”
How to try out YouTube TV's multiview feature
If you're a current YouTube TV subscriber, you can take this upgraded multiview feature for a spin. You can access it in the same way as before, by either tapping down on your TV remote to find a multiview or, if you're on mobile, tapping Multiview on the player. You can also find personalized multiview recommendations in the Home tab from the "Watch in multiview" or "top picks for you" row.
However, Google mentioned it's rolling functionality out gradually "over the next few weeks." So if you don't see the option yet, don't worry. It may just take a few weeks before the experiment becomes available to you.
On top of rolling out more options for building your multiview feed, YouTube TV also plans to launch a new "Always-On" multiview, which will include your local ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC channels out of the gate. So there's plenty for YouTube TV subscribers to look forward to in the coming months.
