Google has been slowly but steadily improving its Google Play Movies & TV service all year. In March, the app was updated to show you where to stream your favorite movies and TV shows on various services including HBO Now, Starz, and Showtime. Then, in May, its Roku app was updated with a fresh coat of paint and better browsing. Good as they were, both of those updates pale in comparison to the 4K-centric changes the service announced today.
We’ll start with the biggest news first: If you’re a longtime Google Play Movies & TV user, your collection of 4K content is about to grow big time — and without you having to spend a dime. Google announced that movies you already own will be automatically upgraded to 4K at no cost, regardless of the resolution you originally bought them in, whether it was HD or even SD. Just open the app and you’ll see right away which movies have been upgraded.
The service is also adding support for 4K content on more devices. In addition to 4K Sony Bravia TVs, which already had support for 4K content via the Google Play Movies & TV app, most 4K Samsung TVs will now have access to 4K content using the app as well. If you’re an LG owner, don’t worry, as Google says it is currently working on adding support for 4K content on capable LG TVs as well.
In the same vein as this year’s earlier Roku update mentioned above, Google is bringing an improved experience to other devices. TVs from Samsung, LG, and Vizio are all getting an updated Google Play Movies & TV app with a more modern look and feel.
The upgrade process for movies from participating studios is rolling out now, so you can expect to see your shiny new 4K content fairly soon. Even if some of your favorites aren’t upgraded, don’t worry, as Google says that it will continue to roll out upgrades as more 4K streams become available from other participating studios. If you want 4K but aren’t all-in on the Google ecosystem, take a look at our guide on where to find the best 4K content.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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