The end of YouView??

When making a post, please ensure it complies with this site's Main Rules at all times.
  • YouView pulls app as it tells users they're not its customers

    YouView users are being told they are not its customers, as the hybrid TV platform changes its strategy.


    In a sign of things to come for users of the platform, which combines Freeview channels with online streaming and catch-up services, the YouView mobile app, that enables viewers to set recordings and control their box from almost anywhere in the world, is being phased out and will be completely withdrawn on 31st March 2020.

    YouView is telling people to use BT and TalkTalk branded apps rather than its own stuff which is all well and good unless you've forked out for a YouView Box.

    I've never used the service, but thought the idea of YouView (services piggy backing off the Freeview EPG) a good idea for those that couldn't afford or want a full pay tv service, but it looks like its days are numbered now.

  • I guess for BT and Talk Talk customers, not much will change. The YouView branding will, perhaps, be phased out, being replaced by the manufacturers' brand names but that's, pretty much, what happens at the moment.

    End users who purchased YouView boxes without a contract will become more dependent on the manufacturer for support. Maybe those manufacturers will stop selling YouView boxes to the public and put the boxes onto end of support. Buying a YouView box without a contract was always a risk as the boxes aren't fully compatible with Freeview specs and the scope of add-on content was limited. Even DTT's MHEG-IC services didn't work.

    In the longer term, will BT & TalkTalk be happy to piggy back onto Freeview channels? It's a cheap and cheerful method of delivery for now but becoming less useful and reliable as DTT loses spectrum.

  • Some manufacturers have been building Youview into their TVs, I wonder if any will update those to Freeview Play via a software update. Obviously the older the TV the less likely this would happen. I know one company has been using both Youview and Freeview Play platforms, though seemingly on a random basis as there is no obvious reasoning behind which model gets which that I've seen.

    Given COM 7 and 8 only had about 30% population coverage at their peak I don't think their loss of spectrum will trouble many. I receive them still, but the only TV (of ours) that has the requisite tuner is primarily used for Cable, and those multiplexes are mostly +1 channels now.

  • YouView is telling people to use BT and TalkTalk branded apps rather than its own stuff which is all well and good unless you've forked out for a YouView Box.

    I've never used the service, but thought the idea of YouView (services piggy backing off the Freeview EPG) a good idea for those that couldn't afford or want a full pay tv service, but it looks like its days are numbered now.

    I assumed that this was simply YouView monetising their product.

    Hopefully, those who use it will be able to use Freeview Play instead.

    I have a Sony TV that uses YouView, so,I'll let you know!

  • I assumed that this was simply YouView monetising their product.

    Hopefully, those who use it will be able to use Freeview Play instead.

    I have a Sony TV that uses YouView, so,I'll let you know!

    I have a Sony Smart TV that uses neither Freeview Play, Youview or Android TV. It still gets regular updates to fix/tweak stuff and it's a several years old model, so I can't see Sony leaving anything in an unusable state.

    There's no sign they will make a major change though, whether that's because they don't want to confuse customers, render their manuals completely, the hardware isn't suitable for a new OS.

    It's still an actively sold model despite its age, in case you were wondering.

  • I have a Sony Smart TV that uses neither Freeview Play, Youview or Android TV. It still gets regular updates to fix/tweak stuff and it's a several years old model, so I can't see Sony leaving anything in an unusable state.

    We have a 2014 Sony Bravia smart TV and that still gets the odd update. Last one fixed a crashing codec. Still doesn't play the particular video file but at least it doesn't take the whole OS with it now.

    Slightly OT but "You and Yours" on R4 this week said that the BBC iPlayer would cease to function on some older sets. Some sort of security issue.

  • We have a 2014 Sony Bravia smart TV and that still gets the odd update. Last one fixed a crashing codec. Still doesn't play the particular video file but at least it doesn't take the whole OS with it now.

    Slightly OT but "You and Yours" on R4 this week said that the BBC iPlayer would cease to function on some older sets. Some sort of security issue.

    I know what you mean, I tried using the TV to show JPEGS off a stick and it wouldn't. 8o Ended up using PlayStation which was ironic being a Sony product.

    I think the "security issue" is simply that older hardware doesn't support the newer technologies they are using to deal with rights management, the 3rd party production companies don't want their shows distributed on the old methods, so BBC has to discontinue them in order to obtain the shows for broadcast.

  • I have an old Sony "smart" tv from before they were called smart tvs and many of the internet services provided initially have been gradually withdrawn over the years. Not that it bothers me much. Manufacturers don't support these add on services indefinitely, if they did, there would be less of an incentive for customers to buy the latest model.

    Edited once, last by jj20x (February 9, 2020 at 1:18 PM).

  • I have an old Sony "smart" tv from before they were called smart tvs and many of the internet services provided initially have been gradually withdrawn over the years. Not that it bothers me much. Manufacturers don't support these add on services indefinitely, if they did, there would be less of an incentive for customers to buy the latest model.

    I access all of my streamers via the V6, my Roku stick and my Amazon Fire stick. I haven't used any of the streamers on the TV itself at all in recent years.

  • Indeed. I don't think that smart tv apps any sort of guaranteed longevity, it's here today, gone tomorrow. Dedicated streaming devices are more likely to keep things up to date but there is a limit. Eventually, hardware based technical developments will make most devices obsolete,

  • I have no idea how long they had been making Android TVs so how many already sold sets this covers I have no idea.

    Our Sony dates from 2015 and although bits of the OS are Android the whole is not ( Customsed Linux) . I think it was on the cusp of Sony changing over the Bravia series to full Android.

Participate now!

Don’t have an account yet? Register yourself now and be a part of our community!