T-Mobile’s TVision live streaming TV service may be dead but the accompanying TVision Hub device is getting a new lease on life with an updated version.
The new device looks similar in form to the Chromecast with Google TV released last year but carries the TVision branding and offers some updates over the previous Android TV-based version. It included an ethernet port and a more streamlined remote with power buttons for both TV and streaming box along with Google Assistant, which the company said can be used for finding content and several smart home features.
Interestingly, the new TVision Hub appears to still include a dedicated TVision button alongside ones for Netflix and YouTube.
The device, which doesn’t appear to be for sale on T-Mobile’s website yet, is priced at $50 (same as the first generation TVision Hub) or free with T-Mobile Home Internet.
RELATED: Philo hands out free TVision Hub devices to new subscribers
9to5Google pointed toward a tweet from SEI Robotics that notes the new TVision Hub comes with an Amlogic S905Y4 chip that includes support for AV1 decoding.
The new TVision Hub is arriving after T-Mobile earlier this year made the decision to sunset its virtual MVPD—which included TVision Live and the slimmer TVision Vibe channel packages—just a few months after launch. The wireless carrier began pushing its customers toward YouTube TV and Philo as streaming TV alternatives.
Philo, which charges $25 per month for a channel package focused around general entertainment networks, kicked off a deal in October where users who pre-pay for two months of the service receive a free TVision Hub. A Philo spokesperson said the offer is only valid while supplies last but that the company expected the promotion to run for at least a couple of months. It now appears the agreement may have been at least partly about helping clear out some remaining inventory to make room for the incoming TVision Hub with Google TV.