Alphabet Inc.'s
What Happened: Last year, Google announced that TV episodes and seasons could no longer be purchased on Google TV devices, Android TV devices, and the Google TV Mobile app.
Users were directed to use the YouTube app for such purchases, with no synchronization between the two services. At that time, Google assured users that movie purchases would remain unaffected.
However, the latest observations indicate that some movies on Google TV no longer offer purchase options, reported 9To5Google.
Instead, users are directed to streaming services, with the "watch now" button replacing purchase options. This issue is particularly noticeable with older Disney movies, such as "Star Wars" and "Toy Story," which are only available through Disney+.
While newer titles like "Inside Out 2" still show purchase options, the problem extends to films from other studios, where streaming services like Max are the only access points.
Despite this, the majority of movies on Google TV continue to offer both purchase and streaming options, suggesting a potential catalog or directory bug rather than a deliberate removal of purchase capabilities, the report noted.
Google did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comments.
Why It Matters: This comes just days after Google's organizational changes. In December, CEO Sundar Pichai announced a 10% reduction in top management roles, underscoring the need to adapt to the rapidly changing tech landscape.
Alphabet's third-quarter revenue reached $88.27 billion, marking a 15% increase compared to the same period last year. This figure surpassed the Street consensus estimate of $86.31 billion, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
Additionally, the company reported $10.7 billion in revenue from Google subscribers, platforms, and devices, up from $8.3 billion in the previous year.
