(Pocket-lint) – Google has announced plans to shuffle around its content offering – again – by removing movies and TV shows from the Google Play Store on Android.
The idea from Google is to simplify its services, by narrowing each app’s content focus. That means Play Store will continue to be your shop for apps and games, but movies and TV will be rehomed in the Google TV app.
In a way, this is similar to when YouTube Music completely replaced the Google Play Music service, in an attempt to make it less confusing.
From a user experience perspective, it means that when you open the Play Store on your Android phone you’ll no longer see a tab for TV / Movies, and movie and TV show results will no longer appear when you use the search function.
This doesn’t mean you lose content you’ve already purchased or rented. Instead, you’ll just be accessing it from a different place, since purchases are still linked to your Google Account.
You’ll be able to access them through the Google TV app – which you can download here If you don’t have it already – and you can still view your movie purchases in the YouTube app.
Most Android phones these days come with that app preinstalled, so if you do have a relatively recent phone, you should have it already and you’ll easily be able to find your existing content.
Writing by Cam Bunton.
