YouTube has announced that its live TV service will move away from the traditional all-in-one bundle. Beginning in early 2026, the platform plans to offer over 10 genre-based channel packs, allowing subscribers to pay only for the categories they actually watch. This marks the first time YouTube TV will break its cable-style bundle, signaling a shift toward a more a-la-carte streaming model. Currently, the service is not available in India.

A YouTube press release revealed that one of the primary packs will focus on sports, featuring content from major broadcasters and networks such as FS1, NBC Sports, the full ESPN lineup, and the upcoming ESPN Unlimited service. Subscribers will still have the option to add premium extras like NFL Sunday Ticket or RedZone, similar to current add-ons. Key features such as unlimited DVR, multiview, key plays, and fantasy tracking will remain available across all packs.

While the complete list of packs has not been disclosed, TechCrunch reports that bundles focused on news, family, and entertainment are also in development. Overall, YouTube TV appears to be moving toward a flexible streaming model where users can mix and match content bundles rather than subscribing to a full cable-style package.

YouTube is also enhancing its A/B testing tool, allowing creators to test up to three different titles, thumbnails, or a combination of both on long-form videos—an improvement from earlier tests that were limited to thumbnails. Each variant is shown to different viewers for up to two weeks, after which YouTube automatically selects the version with the highest watch time, though creators can override the choice.

Test outcomes are labeled as “Winner,” “Performed Same,” or may default to the first version if no clear result emerges. YouTube notes that tests can fail if the variations are too similar or the video receives insufficient impressions. The platform advises using distinct designs to achieve meaningful results and emphasizes watch time over click-through rate to ensure that titles and thumbnails accurately reflect the content and promote genuine engagement.