5 million people have tried YouTube TV

I decided to cut the cord and switch to YouTube TV over four years ago, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. No longer do I have to rent clunky boxes from the cable company to watch live television. Instead, thanks to YouTube TV, all of my devices serve as makeshift televisions! I can watch live TV anywhere on all my devices -- my smartphone, tablet, laptop, Apple TV, and more.

While the price of YouTube TV has gone up over the years, I never really minded the cost increases too much. Why? Because YouTube TV has remained consistently excellent thanks to the unlimited DVR, top-notch customer service, and ever-expanding channel lineup. It is rare to be completely satisfied with a service, but with YouTube TV, I literally have no complaints.

And now, YouTube TV has reached an impressive milestone. You see, 5 million people have tried the service since it launched. No, this does not mean YouTube TV has had 5 million paying subscribers -- the Google-owned TV service very clearly states the milestone number includes both "subscribers and trialers." In other words, those who tried YouTube TV during a free trial and then canceled are also included in the tally.

"When we launched YouTube TV five years ago, we wanted to make watching TV even more enjoyable -- featuring a modern product experience without all the commitments, equipment fees and hassle. Today, we're humbled that five million of you are currently on this journey with us," explains Christian Oestlien, VP of Product Management, YouTube TV.

Speaking about YouTube TV's history, Oestlien adds, "When YouTube TV started out, a group of engineers climbed onto the roof of YouTube headquarters while holding an antenna in order to build a prototype. Based on this experience, we almost settled on calling the YouTube TV you know and love today as 'YouTube Air.' And within the team that worked on this product, our project codename was 'Unplugged.'"

YouTube Air? That definitely isn't as catchy as YouTube TV, so I am glad the "Air" name was ultimately not used. With that said, regardless of what the service is called, it remains a wonderful way to watch television, and I recommend it wholeheartedly. It does not surprise me at all that 5 million folks have decided to give it a go. I am just surprised that not all trialers become permanent subscribers!