Signing up for Peacock? Use an Android device to get the best deal – CNET

screen-shot-2019-09-17-at-11-09-58-am.jpg

Alden Ehrenreich stars in the Peacock original series Brave New World.

Peacock

Looking to give NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service a try? You’ll want to make sure to create your account on an Android phone or tablet or an Android TV device such as the Nvidia Shield.

As part of a prelaunch deal struck with Google, those who sign up for Peacock using an Android device will be able to get three months of Peacock Premium service for free. Normally $4.99 per month, Peacock Premium will offer more than 20,000 hours of content, or nearly double the amount that’s available for the free, ad-supported tier.

An ad-free version of Peacock Premium is available for $9.99 per month.

Read more: Everything you need to know about Peacock’s launch

The Google deal is a significant extension of the regular seven-day free trial that NBCUniversal is offering those who sign up for Peacock through Apple devices, Microsoft’s Xbox or in web browsers. Under the deal, Peacock Premium will be available until Oct. 15, at which point users will be charged the regular $4.99 monthly rate.

Looking at the fine print, the company’s extended free trial will vary depending on when you sign up. Those who sign up between July 15 and Aug. 14 have access to a 90-day free trial but need to redeem their code by Aug. 31. 

Those who sign up between Aug. 15 and Sept. 14 will have a 60-day free trial but need to redeem by Sept. 30. People who sign up between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 will be able to get a 30-day free trial, but need to redeem their codes by Oct. 31. 

After making an account on Android, you’ll be able to log in and watch on other devices like iPhones, Xboxes or smart TVs from LG and Vizio. The only difference now is that you’ll be able to access the Premium content for free for a longer period of time.

A couple of places you might not be able to watch Peacock: Amazon Fire TV and Roku. Like AT&T’s HBO Max, as of this writing, Peacock has yet to reach a deal with the two most popular streaming platforms.

Now playing: Watch this: First Look: Peacock streaming app

10:55

Update, July 20: Adds new info on the fine print of Peacock and Google’s Android promo.