Katarzyna Petru
Roku has just released a major update for its mobile and TV apps. The most important change? A new way to control the TV, which works much more like the Magic Remote from LG, meaning… simply convenient. Additionally, there are 12 new free channels, including even two from the BBC.
App of the Year with a new touchpad – no more clicking like on a calculator
Until now, controlling the app was, to put it mildly, clunky. You had to click arrows and move the cursor slowly like in the menu of an old DVD. Now, finally, a virtual touchpad is rolling in, allowing you to swipe your finger across the screen, and the cursor glides smoothly across the TV. It sounds trivial, but it changes everything.
Testers from Cord Cutters confirm: instead of "tap-tap-tap," you just swipe and you're done. Roku is also adding haptics, so while swiping, your finger feels light vibrations, somewhat like in good apps on an iPhone. Don't want the touchpad? No worries — you can go back to the old button system in the settings.
New look for the app, new channels, and faster pairing
Roku has also slightly refreshed the interface. The home screen is now simpler, and the shortcuts to recently viewed channels are more readable. The pairing via Wi-Fi has been improved — it’s meant to be faster and less temperamental. The update is rolling out globally on Android and iOS — everyone should receive it within a week.
At the same time, Roku is adding 12 new free channels (FAST — meaning ad-supported). They will be available on all Roku devices. All will join the Live TV section, adding to the 40 channels available in the UK in October.
Does ChooseTV have a chance to become an even bigger player?
ChooseTV is doing something that should have been the standard a long time ago: convenient navigation + more free content. The app update finally makes controlling the TV with your phone make sense, and the new FAST channels are an added bonus for those who enjoy something “in the background” or don’t want to pay for additional subscriptions.
