British multi-channel broadcaster UKTV has announced an update of its video-on-demand service, UKTV Play with increased personalisation, the addition of the broadcaster’s home channel and synchronised viewing history and favourites across devices.
The next-generation app launches on iOS, Android and Amazon FireOS and users can browse and discover content by genre and the app will learn viewing preferences and interests to serve a personalised selection of shows, box sets and collections from across UKTV’s selection of free-to-air channels such as Dave, Yesterday, Really, Drama and Home. The enhanced app also allows viewers to pause on one device and resume on another. In addition, the iOS and Android apps now fully support Chromecast.
Putting into the perspective why it was embarking on the change, the channel noted that in 2018, UKTV Play saw a 36% year-on-year increase of views across all platforms to over 140 million. In less than twelve months since mandatory registration was introduced, over 1.8 million users have signed up to the service, a third of whom are aged 16-34.
“UKTV Play is focusing on delivering the most personalised viewing experience in the marketplace,’ said Tom Davidson, UKTV’s general manager for UKTV Play. “Our investment in machine learning, coupled with constant algorithm adjustments, allows our viewers to surface an enormous variety of content that suits not only their interests, but their mood too.”
The updated UKTV Play app will subsequently roll out on the following TV platforms; NOW TV, Roku, YouView, Freeview, Freesat, Fire TV and Samsung.
Putting into the perspective why it was embarking on the change, the channel noted that in 2018, UKTV Play saw a 36% year-on-year increase of views across all platforms to over 140 million. In less than twelve months since mandatory registration was introduced, over 1.8 million users have signed up to the service, a third of whom are aged 16-34.
“UKTV Play is focusing on delivering the most personalised viewing experience in the marketplace,’ said Tom Davidson, UKTV’s general manager for UKTV Play. “Our investment in machine learning, coupled with constant algorithm adjustments, allows our viewers to surface an enormous variety of content that suits not only their interests, but their mood too.”
The updated UKTV Play app will subsequently roll out on the following TV platforms; NOW TV, Roku, YouView, Freeview, Freesat, Fire TV and Samsung.
