Google Play now puts your SD and HD videos for free at 4K

Google announced today that it would automatically upgrade the movies you purchased on Google Play to 4K for free. Your previous movie purchases will be playable in 4K, even if you originally purchased the movie in standard definition (SD) or high definition (HD).

Google Play Movies & TV, which has long been baptized, earned its first 4K titles in December 2016, just a week after YouTube, which is owned by Google, added support for live streaming in 4K. Google Play Movies & TV did not update your existing 4K SD and HD videos – Google apparently did not think about the upgrade price. It was not even possible to remove a movie from your account and redeem it at 4K at the full rate. Google finally solves the problem created by taking care of the upgrades for you and not loading anything.

There are, however, some small characters – and you do not have to squint to see it. All you need to do is open the Google Play Movies & TV app to see which SD and HD titles have been upgraded. Do not expect all your titles to receive 4K treatment immediately. The automatic upgrade will only start when the content becomes available in 4K, and this will depend on when the "participating Hollywood studios" (Fox, Lionsgate, NBC Universal, Sony and Warner Bros.) do so.

The other problem is availability. Google Play started with "more than 125 titles" in 4K resolution, a laughable number, and only for the United States and Canada. Immediate upgrades will also occur only in the United States and Canada.

"We will upgrade the titles internationally as the availability of 4K expands to other territories," said a Google spokesperson at VentureBeat. "We have no timetable to announce, but we are actively working on international expansion."

In the meantime, Google promises that 4K movies on Google Play "will cost you less". You can see all 4K titles and their new pricing here: Best 4K Movies. The Google Play Movies & TV app now works on most Samsung 4K smart TVs as well. Google is currently working on adding support for LG, and the app now has a modern look.