YouTube TV Adds a Linear Pay TV-Like Feature That Takes Users to Their Last Viewed Channel With a Single Button Push

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The new shortcut, which hasn't been officially announced, is reportedly available to some Google TV and Apple TV device users

YouTube TV
(Image credit: Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

YouTube TV has deployed on a limited basis a new feature that lets users easily toggle back and forth between two channels with the push of the "OK" or "select" button on their remote.

According to 9to5Google, some Google TV and Apple TV platform users have noticed the emergence of the new "switch to last channel" feature, although the rollout seems to be limited. 

Next TV tested YouTube TV on Roku Monday morning and it wasn't there. 

Google hasn't officially announced the new trick, which has long been a popular shortcut among linear pay TV services. 

YouTube TV's app-based experience, which doesn't assign numbers to channels, is perhaps the most un-linear-like among all vMVPDs.

But since many of its 6 million - 7 million customers (depending on whose estimate you believe) are linear refugees, sent to YouTube TV after their small or midsized cable company abandoned traditional video, adopting a few of the old-school popular features might now be a bad idea. 

Daniel Frankel
Daniel Frankel

Daniel Frankel is the managing editor of Next TV, an internet publishing vertical focused on the business of video streaming. A Los Angeles-based writer and editor who has covered the media and technology industries for more than two decades, Daniel has worked on staff for publications including E! Online, Electronic Media, Mediaweek, Variety, paidContent and GigaOm. You can start living a healthier life with greater wealth and prosperity by following Daniel on Twitter today!