Google Play Movies Upgrades Purchased SD, HD Movies To 4K For Free

Google Play Movies has begun upgrading standard definition and high definition movies to 4K UHD resolution. Users who have previously purchased SD or HD movies will get to enjoy the automatic 4K upgrade for absolutely free.

“When 4K titles are available from participating Hollywood studios, we’ll upgrade your past movie purchases so you can stream in 4K, even if you originally bought the movie in SD or HD,” Google said on its blog. “It’s all on us, just open the Play Movies & TV app and we’ll let you know which titles have been upgraded.”

When users open the Google Play Movies app on a compatible smart TV and start watching a movie, they will see a notification telling them that the movie is now available to stream in 4K UHD. Users won’t have to do anything but simply play the title and start streaming the film in 4K. Google didn’t provide a list of movies that will be upgraded to 4K, but participating Hollywood studios include Fox, Lionsgate, NBC Universal, Sony and Warner Bros., as pointed out by Android Police.

It’s important to note that the free upgrade will only be applied to SD and HD movies that were purchased from Google Play Movies before Oct. 23. Users won’t get the free 4K upgrade if they bought SD and HD content starting from that date. The free upgrade is also only available to users in the United States and Canada. There’s no word yet if Google plans to bring the free upgrade to other countries.

Google’s move to upgrade previously purchased SD and HD to 4K UHD for free is something that Apple did last year. When Apple announced the Apple TV 4K, the tech giant upgraded previous iTunes purchases to 4K UHD streaming. Although only a select number of studios are supporting the 4K upgrade on Google Play Movies, it’s expected that availability will be expanded over time.

In addition to announcing the free 4K UHD upgrade, Google revealed that the pricing for 4K UHD movies on the Play Movies store will soon be cheaper. 4K movies usually cost around $25 to $30. But now Google Play Movies is offering 4K titles for $20 or even less, according to Android Authority. Google has set up a page on its store that lists the top 4K movies that are already available on the platform.

Google is also rolling out a software update to its Play Movies app on smart TVs to give it “a modern look and feel to provide a better experience.” The update should be available for Samsung, LG and Vizio TVs starting today.