Why You Can Trust CNET YouTube TV Bringing Multiview to March Madness
Subscribers will be able to watch up to four preselected streams at once.
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Google has unveiled a multiview upgrade to its live TV streaming service, YouTube TV, which will enable users to watch up to four streams at once -- just in time for March Madness.
The feature, which is currently in early access, will allow members to watch up to four preselected streams in their "Top Picks for You" section. A Google spokesperson told CNET that "for the initial launch it's only the channels that have NCAA tournament games on them." They said multiview will be available on sports content in the future, but the company was exploring its use "across the variety of content YouTube TV has to offer."
Google says the functionality will roll out to all subscribers over the coming months and will work regardless of the video streamer or smart TV a user has. The company says the feature uses technology initially developed for YouTube creators to Go Live Together.
As far as multiview is concerned, FuboTV is the only other live TV streaming service that offers it -- though the defunct PlayStation Vue once included it, too. Meanwhile, DirecTV U-Verse also includes the multiview feature for satellite customers.
At $65 a month, YouTube TV is CNET's Editors' Choice for live TV streaming services. The service is due to begin exclusively streaming NFL Sunday Ticket later in the year.