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Sports fans who want to catch every last game and news junkies who want to watch network news as it unfolds have two main options: cable or a live TV streaming service. Cable or satellite service often requires extra equipment and convoluted contracts. Live TV streaming services only require an internet connection and a smart TV. These plans used to be cheaper and more user-friendly, too, but price hikes, media consolidation and contract disputes are starting to change the value a bit. We tested out all the major players to compare what you get and help you make sense of the options out there. Here are the best live TV streaming services, according to our testing.
Editor's note: YouTube TV announced in December it will start offering genre-specific plans in early 2026. We still don't have word on the pricing or specifics, but will update this guide when we do. The
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 In September, Apple and the NFL announced that Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on Sunday, February 8. The performance will take place at Levi's Stadium, in Santa Clara, California.
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First, the news: In its announcement that the Brad Pitt blockbuster F1: The Movie will make its debut on Apple TV in December, Apple casually noted that as of now, Apple TV isn't Apple TV anymore.
"Apple TV is now simply Apple TV, with a vibrant new identity," Apple's press release reads. What's the new identity, you ask? Aside from a new and multicolor Apple TV logo, that's hard to say.
Those of us who follow the streaming industry greeted the news with furrowed brows. So Apple TV the streaming service is now on Apple TV, the streaming box? Isn't that kind of confusing? Yes, the Apple TV streaming player is officially known as "Apple TV 4K," but still.
Well, it's details like the " " and the "4K" that cause headaches when it comes to clear and consistent branding, and the truth is most folks haven't bothered with the "plus" for a long time. Severance, The Studio, The Morning Show, Ted Lasso—those are all Apple TV shows, according to everyday streamers.
Sometimes, simplicity and familiarity are best. Take HBO Max, which went through a three-year-old rebranding drama that saw the service renamed as "Max," a change that was mainly driven by the now-unraveling alliance between the former WarnerMedia and Discovery.
Warner Bros. Discovery likely spent a fortune trying to get the Max branding to stick, but most subscribers just kept calling it HBO Max. Finally, the entertainment giant stopped swimming against the ti
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