New Delhi: YouTube has officially announced that its TV service will soon shift away from the traditional one-size-fits-all bundle. Starting early 2026, the platform plans to come with more than 10 genre-based channel packs, giving subscribers the option to pay only for the categories that they actually watch. This is for the first time ever, YouTube TV will be breaking up its cable-style bundle, signalling a move toward a more a-la-carte streaming model. The service is not yet available in India at present.
According to the company, one of the major packs will focus on the sports and is expected to include feeds from the key broadcasters along with the networks such as FS1, NBC Sports, and full ESPN lineup and the upcoming ESPN Unlimited service. Viewers will still be able to bolt on premium extras like the NFL Sunday Ticket or RedZone, similar to how add-ons work today. YouTube also clarified that core features, including unlimited DVR, Multiview, key plays and fantasy tracking, will remain intact across all of the packs.
The company also hasn’t revealed the complete slate yet, but according to some sources, article, news, family, and entertainment will focus bundles are also in the works. Overall, YouTube TV appears to be preparing for the future where streaming looks less like cable and more like a mix-and-match approach. YouTube is expanding its A/B testing tool to help creators compare up to three different titles, thumbnails, or a mix of both long-form videos, an upgrade from earlier tests that were limited to the thumbnails. Each version is shown to varying viewers for up to two weeks, after which YouTube automatically selects the one that drives the highest watch time, though creators can override the choice.
