Disney + App update without Google account.

Kel280green

Established Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Messages
228
Reaction score
37
Points
72
Location
Street
Hi All.
I have just set up my new Philips 55oled936 and am very happy with it except for one thing.
I don’t have a Google account and don’t want one. I only use apps that come pre-installed with the TV and Netflix, Prime, Apple and Rakuten all work fine.
However, when attempting to open Disney +, it says that an update is available. Try as I might, it will not update and tells me to sign in to my Google account to enable the update.
My previous 55oled935 didn’t have this issue and Disney + worked fine.
My view is that if an app is pre-loaded on a TV, then you shouldn’t need a Google account to update it. Is this even strictly legal as it forces a customer to open an account that said customer may not want?
Any help very much appreciated.
You might say ‘why buy an android TV then?’
Having owned Philips TV’s since the CRT days, we have stuck with them and enjoy the ambilight. When they went with Google, there were big signs in our household😠
Thanks for any tips that may be forthcoming.
 
I have now spoken to Disney+ Customer Services and they confirmed that I can only update the App with a google account. This is ridiculous. The Disney+ App is available on Panasonic, LG and Samsung TV's and as those TV's are not Android based, no google account is needed to update the app. This just smacks of pure bloody mindedness and after also speaking with Philips Customer Services, they are investigating.
They did tell me that any pre-installed app should not require a google account to update and work. If this is not addressed, then a TV has been sold to me that requiries me to have an account that I do not want, to enable said TV to be fully functional. This would be an omission in any pre-sales information and so, in effect, the TV could have been mis-sold???
Could I ask that any other members with 2021 Philips TV's check if they get the same 'log-in' message to update the Disney+ app (particularly the 936 oled model).
Thank you.
 
Unfortunately, I think you’re asking a lot to be able to run Android TV without a Google account. These Apps require regular updates to be secure and working as best as they can and just like you wouldn’t be able to properly use an Android phone without a Google account or an iPhone/Apple TV without an Apple account this is the same.

Can you not just setup a dummy Google account with no real personal information that you use solely for any functionality of this TV?
 
Thanks for the reply. I have thought about setting up a ‘dummy’ Google account, but as I understand things, it requires an active phone number for activation?
As I said, I have had Philips TV’s for years and since having a smart TV, have never had any issues with apps updating. I don’t think that Netflix or Prime would ever put up with subscribers having to update via a Google account.
And as for AppleTV!😳🤔 I am sure they would never allow updates solely via Google account.
The fact that the Philips agent told me it’s wrong as Disney+ is a pre-installed app says it all really?
Thanks again for your feedback.
 
Thanks for the reply. I have thought about setting up a ‘dummy’ Google account, but as I understand things, it requires an active phone number for activation?
As I said, I have had Philips TV’s for years and since having a smart TV, have never had any issues with apps updating. I don’t think that Netflix or Prime would ever put up with subscribers having to update via a Google account.
And as for AppleTV!😳🤔 I am sure they would never allow updates solely via Google account.
The fact that the Philips agent told me it’s wrong as Disney+ is a pre-installed app says it all really?
Thanks again for your feedback.
I have a Philips led TV and I too had a prompt to update the Disney + App in the Philips app collection. It would not update for some reason(even though I have a Google account).I uninstalled it and reinstalled it and it updated to the latest version. You could try the same,unless you have already done so.
 
Hi. I did try uninstalling the app and then doing a complete reinstall of the TV. It doesn’t work and I get the same message. As you have a Google account, did you reinstall the app from the play store?
I had a return call from Philips yesterday and they have confirmed that all 2021 Philips TV’s with android 10 operating system will now require users to have a Google account to update and use Disney+. I asked if this will also happen to Netflix, Prime, Apple etc and was not given a definitive answer.
This is shocking and I pointed out that Philips do need to add this information to any pre-sales description.
If I had known that I would need to have a Google account to use pre-installed major apps, then I would not have purchased the TV.
The retailer has been very helpful and will take the TV back.
It’s a shame, but this will not help the Philips cause.
I wonder if Sony are going the same way as they also use android TV?
 
Hi. I did try uninstalling the app and then doing a complete reinstall of the TV. It doesn’t work and I get the same message. As you have a Google account, did you reinstall the app from the play store?
I had a return call from Philips yesterday and they have confirmed that all 2021 Philips TV’s with android 10 operating system will now require users to have a Google account to update and use Disney+. I asked if this will also happen to Netflix, Prime, Apple etc and was not given a definitive answer.
This is shocking and I pointed out that Philips do need to add this information to any pre-sales description.
If I had known that I would need to have a Google account to use pre-installed major apps, then I would not have purchased the TV.
The retailer has been very helpful and will take the TV back.
It’s a shame, but this will not help the Philips cause.
I wonder if Sony are going the same way as they also use android TV?
My tv is a 2019 model so maybe not a problem as you are having.I did not reinstall from the playstore but within the Philips collection of internal apps.They are independent from apps available from the playstore.You can in fact have two Disney + apps to launch from.One from the playstore and one from Philips collection of their own internal apps.Dont know if your tv has that option.
It seems as consumers we are being more and more coherst and dictated to,rather than having our own choices and free will.I fully understand if you feel you need to return the tv.Gladly as consumers we still have a choice and if Philips want to take that path then they could lose out in the long term.Best of luck you find a tv you are happy with.
 
The Disney+ app is in the Philips TV collection on my TV. As you say, these are the ‘internal’ or pre-installed apps. They have always been independent of Google play store.
I wasn’t told if this was a Philips or Google decision. Either way, a bad move for consumers.
 
The Disney+ app is in the Philips TV collection on my TV. As you say, these are the ‘internal’ or pre-installed apps. They have always been independent of Google play store.
I wasn’t told if this was a Philips or Google decision. Either way, a bad move for consumers.
It's probably a Philips decision because they then don't have to deal with providing updated versions of the apps via their own service. I guess the same will apply when they start updating some of the 2021 models to Google TV.

Mind you since I've had Android phones for many years now it's not a problem for me.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom