New UI update enhances discoverability across Netflix, Hulu, PlayStation Vue, YouTube, and more.
Starting today, the TV & Video experience on PlayStation 4 is getting a complete refresh in the U.S. The new design puts content front and center, making it easier for you to discover and watch the best movies and TV shows available across your favorite streaming services, such as Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and YouTube, in addition to PlayStation Video and PlayStation Vue. Canadians will also enjoy the same refreshed interface with access to streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and Crunchyroll, in addition to PlayStation Video.
- Browse in one place – You can now find trending content or discover new movies, TV shows, live TV events and user-generated content from your favorite video services in a single place, without jumping in and out of apps. TV & Video is now a central destination for exploring content and easily renting, purchasing, or subscribing to services that give you access to the content you want to watch.
- Featured and Spotlight categories – The ‘Featured’ section shows you a mix of the best content from various video services. We also have a ‘Spotlight’ section that shows you popular content based on a rotating theme, such as “Superheroes” or “Award Season.”
- Personalized YouTube experience – You can link your YouTube account to your PlayStation Network account to get personalized recommendations in the YouTube section. Personalized recommendations for other services are coming soon too!
- Currently trending live channels on PlayStation Vue – The PlayStation Vue section shows you live channels that are most popular now in your area. PS Vue subscribers get one-click access to the livestreams and the content shown will be tailored to your subscription plan.
- Direct app access – With the updated interface, you still have fast access to the video apps you use most, a full list of all available video services, and your PlayStation Store video library in ‘My Videos.’
We hope you enjoy the new look and feel of the PS4 system’s TV & Video experience, and we’ll continue to update with additional features… so stay tuned and keep checking back!
Very much needed as at times it was a chore to search for certain things. Thanks!
Well so far I hate it. Why does improving things mean always adding extra steps or clicks to get to where you want to go. Why can’t things be quick, clean and efficient.
oops didn’t mean to reply under another comment
This hurts my soul
I filed a complaint in the chat support and asked the person to direct it to the proper department. I hate it… More steps to do the same thing, smaller icons, and a bunch of “recommended” fluff filling the stee that I don’t need nor want.
filling the *screen*
This is genuinely ugly, way too much on screen, I purposely made sure I could do as little scrolling as possible with the current UI, I will not be updating to this or won’t be using my ps4 much if I’m forced to use this
Just let me put my streaming apps on the main ribbon and stop hiding them behind your own forced content. I will NEVER purchase a damn thing through your video services if this is how I’m treated after dropping hundreds of dollars on your system. You’re garbage for doing this and your new ‘experience’ is bad.
Complete garbage. I’m about to use my chrome cast in place of my PlayStation because of this for when I want to watch anything. The only reason I can see for this change is to throw more advertisements in front of us. Apparently cramming other apps into a giant list wasn’t enough
I’m just not sure why you we don’t treat these the same way as games, just apps on the XMB. Then let me sort it into my own folders. I can tell you right now I won’t be browsing the movies below at all, I’ll be opening whatever app I want and browsing within there. Just my feedback. You can show me the downloadable WWE Network all day long, I still won’t click on it and download it.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Absolutely hate it. Everything is so slow and YouTube and Netflix used to be easy to find
Ok, now how do I disable it? I gave it a chance and it is the worst. It takes significantly longer to do the same thing, since it won’t display even the core streaming apps until it loads everything on the page. Even when I select a video it still just goes to the home page of the service anyway. Please make this feature optional…
This “new experience” has apl but ruined my enjoyment of the ps4 for videos. I now have to load an application to load another application. Most of the time it has problems loading just the tv & video page. Then the application I use is almost hidden accross the top. Rather stream my phone to my tv than deal with this mess. Horrible decision sony. Just horrible.
Nnnoooo your going to way of the Xbox…. I hate using my Xbox UI to find content… it’s already annoying enough that the apps I’ve downloaded on the PS4 don’t even show up at the top in the first (bad word) place.
As someone that hates the Xbox One UI and had no issue with the PS4 Video Streaming app section, I can tell you this is a change but is not really what the Xbox One does.
The top is your apps, and the rest are things within other apps as a quick select. Its actually a bit cleaner than what had been happening on the PS4 where these “suggested” things were popping in and making it harder to find your apps.
The only downside I see is that it is not as fast to get in and out of and has that Xbox One like super lame separate feel with long loading transitions between different modules.
Ideally they would just let me disable all the suggestions and let me see only my Streaming apps and let me launch them at my discretion.
So does this men I won’t be able to launch Netflix or Hulu without first going through this, or will they still be separate apps I can launch from the PS4 dashboard?
You have to go through their TV and video folder, you can’t pin it to your dashboard, it’s horribly designed ux.
Does this require a system update? Or is it on your end? I am getting tired of having to update the software before I can play a game.
No system update at all. It’s already done.
They remote installed this garbage without even a notification. No choice was given, they just did it. Incidentally, the US supreme Court ruled that we own our consoles. While this is normally cited to support nodding, the larger issue here is that Sony backdoored our consoles to remote install adware without our permission which is technically a Felony.
How generous of the Supreme Court to recognize a product that I purchased at a retail store is in fact mine and my property after the transaction. What a revolutionary idea that is…. *face palm*
@Gwa/San – Neither of you seem to understand the workings of the legal system.
@Gwa/San – Neither of you seem capable of wrapping your head around the workings of the legal system.
Hopefully it loads faster now than it used to. Sometimes have to wait half a minute for the apps to show up on the screen. And yeah, it’s pretty bad having them all in random, changing order, having service i don’t subscribe to on the list, and with multiple entries considering some were ads for shows. Maybe this will be more organized, or allow us to organize it. But this seems like it’s geared MORE towards advertising and to be even more cluttered than before. Oh, well. Guess i’ll see when I turn on the PS4 in a bit.
So far it’s slower for me.
It’s significantly slower.
how do I turn it off? Or at the very least, select the apps I want to see show up?
You can’t. We’re stuck with this HORRIBLE UI change until Playstation decides to do the right thing and let us just put the services directly on our dashboard.
And yet it still sucks! Face it, we don’t won’t your forced advertising, and your setup on PS3 was way better.
Just hooked up my old PS3 thinking it could be my dedicated video player and found only 2 of my apps are still supported. Might finally be time for a Apple TV or Roku for me.
I have a simple request…support Movies Anywhere
I concur!
Download the Vudu app for ps4. It supports Movies Anywhere.
Link your Movies Everywhere to Vudu and download Vudu on your PS4. It alls maps over and Vudu supports the movie studios that Movies Anywhere does not.
I’m more interested in the opposite direction… movies I purchase through the PlayStation store available on my movies anywhere account… I’d buy so many movies during sales if they weren’t locked to my basement where me ps4 lives…
@lastcenturion-DW, I do not understand PS Video lack of support for MA even though Sony Pictures is a suporter
@DJOmega6 and @gibbsDPAJ, how would that help with movies you own on PS Video?
@GunnerFCm, you are supporting what I am asking. If PS Video support MA, then movies on MA can be on PS Video and movies on PS Video can be on MA. Win win.
I refuse to buy movies on PS Video due to their lack of support
Seriously, I honestly do not understand why Sony is refusing to join Movies Anywhere. I bought bunch of movies from them over the years and rented even more but ever since Vudu offers Movies Anywhere I use them most of the time. I don’t mind using iTunes or other services that are integrated with Movies Anywhere but I just refuse to buy from Sony because I am locked to PlayStation. If they were any smart they would create App for Apple and Android join Movies Anywhere and make more money that way. Oh well I always have Vudu.
All I ask is please make the icon for this see-through. Sure, the default ps4 theme has that same blue to non-game icons (internet browser, capture gallery, live from playstation), but a lot of the better looking themes that come out now get rid of that ever-present blue of these icons that can be an eye sore when looking at the home screen. This TV icon used to be one you could ‘see-through’ with certain themes but now it’s a big block of blue no matter what. Thanks.
This update is garbage. At best, you’re now essentially advertising for all of the video providers on your platform. At worst, I’m now subject to what *you* think *I* should watch. I cannot find any method to filter or customize this content, so I’m forced to sit here and look recommended videos from a bigoted, anti-semitic racist like Felix Kjellberg among other assorted trash. Thanks PlayStation for another useless update that no really asked for or wanted. Just give me the option to pin Netflix to the bar like any other application/game so I’m not subjected to this unwanted content.
Whoa I think you’re a little harsh on pewds there but damn you were spot on with this trash update for the TV&Video section. Although I haven’t watched Felix since 2012 ish so I don’t know what he’s done since
Good job psn i like it
Don’t encourage this garbage. This is just anoyher way for them to advertise more. Has nothing to do with “Improving your TV&Video Experience” cmon I can’t be the only one who hates this. Can we get some EA “Pride and Accomplishment” Reddit comment hate on this so it’ll actually get changed?
I just wish we could hide apps we don’t have installed.
I don’t want to see Hulu in my TV/Video section because I don’t have it installed.
Makes sense. I don’t want to see any suggestions from any of the apps including the ones I do have installed and use regularly. I don’t mind opening the app to see whats up. I mind more when my screen where I select the app takes even slightly longer to load just to show me “suggested / promoted” content.
The ironic thing is that I wouldn’t mind this specific app if it were an OPTIONAL thing to do. A combination of *installed* apps? Sure, why not? But this is the default and it includes apps we don’t use/have installed just so they can advertise to us.
If I had the choice, I’d probably use this. Again if it was exclusive to just installed apps. Then I could just pop on when I’m not sure if I feel like watching Crunchyroll, Netflix or whatever and then look at a pool of content from all of them. But nope. Just random nonsense when I specifically want Crunchyroll.
Ugh. Choice. Why do we not have any, Sony?
As was previously mentioned, can we please have the option to see only the video services we subscribe to? We need separate icons for each, with the ability to delete/hide the ones we are not subscribed to. We wouldn’t want games that we don’t own to show up on the homescreen, so please don’t treat other services any differently.
Thank you for listening to constructive customer feedback!
This new “improvement” is a step in the wrong direction, the old TV & Video section was already annoying. It would be much better to give the option of having these streaming apps as single tiles on the PS4 home screen same as a game. I’ve seriously hated this part of the PS4 UI since I first got my PS4. And this change bring it to the abysmal level of the Xbox One UI. Really would love to see this change, although I know it won’t happen just like changing out PSN names.
Please don’t turn into xbox
Agreed… we desperately need the ability to pin the desired apps to the applications bar. I am seriously offended by Sony/PSN and their autocratic ideologies about how we arrange, view and access *our* content. I feel that it is my right as a consumer to determine how I access my content, and that I should be able to do so without the added hassle of another UX layer that is simply designed to advertise. But like changing of PSN names… this will likely fall on deaf ears. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Sony/PSN need to take a cue from Massive Entertainment (A.K.A. Ubisoft) and listen to their customers.
I’m not understanding all the hate on Xbox’s UI and access to apps. It’s way nicer and more organized than PS4 has ever been. For one, you just need to go to Games and Apps. There’s whatever you’re looking for, in alphabetical order without anything you don’t have downloaded. And then, to make it even more accessible, you can pin your most used apps to your home screen in whatever order pleases you.
It’s always been like that. It’s always been better than PS4’s. Yes, they advertise content, but as far as apps and games they have that down.
This is so nice looking!
I disagree, but needed to compliment you on your taste in avatars.
Now if we can get Movies Anywhere compatibility I would be complete
Update is horrid, app is cluttered takes more time for me to launch the app I WANT to launch not the seven other I don’t. Thanks a bunch Sony, way to make things worse for the sake of “simplifying”
This is stupid why did you update the tv video app it was fine thw way it was giveing a update i dont want revert it back to what it was before
It wasn’t fine the way it was either, it was terrible then too. It’s just worse now.
Can we get the DMM app please?
Pretty much exactly what I hated about the xbox.
damn this is not the comment I was replying too wtf
Good lord, now I have to load up an app to load up an app? Some of the personalization features are okay but I just want to be able to hop into Plex or Youtube from the PS4 landing page, why is that not okay?
You messed up all my themes with this update. Now all I have is a big blue box. Please fix this, and allow the TV/Video app icon to be replaced with purchased theme icons. (Just like it was BEFORE the update)
Netflix should be a separate app
Sadly, I stopped using my apps on my PS4 because they are woefully out of date. Netflix HDR implementation is a mess and Vudu is waaaay behind on PS4. YouTube with no 4k/HDR support??
This is awful. It is significantly more clunky and slow for those who use the same two apps (YouTube and Netflix) every day. It may be better for those that like to browse and that’s great, but give me the freaking option to pin Netflix and YouTube to my main screen without having to go into the clunky “TV and video” folder.
From a usability standpoint, you’ve made things much worse for your customers. We now have to launch into another application to launch the application that we intended to use. I understand that marketing drove this decision to try and upsell PS Vue and other services that the user may not be subscribed to, but throwing more unique tiles on the screen to advertise versus having the quick drop down access to application (still with some ads) is a poor choice. If there is no option to disable this “easier” update, I’ll simply not be turning on my PS4 at all when I want to watch Netflix or Amazon Video and navigate through my Smart TV interface only. The only reason that I didn’t already was to be able to let friends know that I was online in case they wanted to play games (you know, the primary purpose of the gaming console).
I agree with this. I prefer not to have something load even slightly slower just to show me “suggested / promoted” content from various streaming apps taking up screen real estate.
I just want to get in there, launch my streaming app of choice and exit when done.
Don’t want PS4 going the route of the horrible Xbox One interface which is slow and polluted with “suggested / promoted” content for both game and video sections.
Honestly I like the idea of it, it makes it a more enjoyable way to watch exactly what you want without having to search for it. However I wish they would make it where you could also pick individual apps and place them in your other folders, like being able to place YouTube specifically in your folder of games. I’m still glad to have this though.
Working great so far! I dig it!
*sigh*
Why did we get this? My most used app was Crunchyroll which was always at the bottom of the old TV & Video and now I have to go into an app to launch my app that has a whole bunch of “you might be interested in watching this” and I already get that from Crunchy and Hulu. We customers will complain, but I sincerely doubt that Sony gives two figs about it being any worse for us since they get to more aggressively advertise their own stuff and if they see any sort of increase in people buying, that’s all that matters.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from all this time being a playstation fan, It’s that Sony doesn’t give two large piles of a smelly brown substance what the customer wants.
I don’t like that it added a loading screen to the media tab. I’d prefer to be able to export media functions I actually use to be in the same row as my games.
I don’t mind the UI, I do like it. What I need is more apps. Gotta catch up to everything to else. Get FXNOW, and stuff like that
Came home and went to start up netflix to be greated with this unwanted and completely undesired “update”. It was bad enough having to go through the old tv & video tab, past the advertisement,s just to get to the apps I used (netflix and youtube) but now I find out I have to launch a whole new app to just to reach the app I wanted, being force fed suggestions along tge way. I just want to pin netflix and youtube on my main menu, so I can get to them quickly. Thanks for making it worse sony.
Either make it so recently watched shows from each service shows up on the page or give us the ability to pin specific apps to our dashboard. The new UI is just so much slower and it’s way harder and laggier to use. Only pro to the change is that UI looks nice.
I totally hate it. It takes even longer to find Netflix / Amazon where it be far easier to pin it to the dash or to my own folder. I hate how it breaks the experience away from how everything else that works fine. I pay for plus not to be solicited by other services. If I’m not directly shopping in the PS Store don’t shove a store into my face.
That was one of the things I despised about XBox Live having to be greeted to a Commercial Splash Screen before I could access my stuff.
PUT IT BACK. Or make it optional. And how am I “personalizing” YouTube? I have to scroll past the other crap all the way to the bottom to see videos I’ve mostly already watched. And why isn’t the Apps like Netflix, and Amazon Prime or even Hulu not showing me a list of videos that ARE in my queue?
It’s clutter and useless at best.
It’s like walking all the way to the back of a giant super market store to find milk. WTF Playstation!
Ah my trusty voice commands finally have a use now. Or will they? Find out in your next surprise, update.
I never post on anything like this, but this is literally the most garbage UI update ever and I want an option to at least turn the old one back on. Who said “oh yeah this looks awesome guys” because they were clearly drunk.
Wow pretty cool! Thanks!
Hated it!
Hate it. Can you just make a function that will allow my YouTube app to be on the main screen? For the love of God it was already slow and now it’s just slower.
Why?? I saved up because I didn’t want a XBox but with all these updates it’s becoming more and more like it.
Very disappointed in this. Now instead of going to TV and video and hitting down twice to load the only app I want, I have to load TV and video, wait for it to populate information I don’t care about, and then press right 6 times. Would the list of apps reorganize themselves based on what is most recent? No. Can I move my apps to the list with games? No. Are there tons of garbage littering the screen for apps I don’t have while info for the apps I use is missing? Yes.
This could be useful if it had my plex queue, actual YouTube recommendations, my crunchyroll queue, and then top/recommended picks for the apps installed. I see nothing for HBO go, but lots for Hulu that I don’t have installed. I realize the apps may need updates for this to work, but right now it is slow, clunky, and useless. Just let me take my apps to the main level. Thanks.
I filed a complaint about this update. Instead of scrolling down to the media I want, it now loads a separate screen, which I still need to scroll over for my content, but they are now smaller icons with useless “recommended” fluff filling the screen. Has anyone else noticed that the PS4 menus are getting bogged down recently with advertisements and “recommended” nonsense that takes a lot of screen space?
Filed a complaint about this “TV & Video” update. Case #: 25720039
Although I dislike the change i think we could get used to it. But I’d prefer it if the “TV & Video” tile was transparent and it started on the “All Apps” section
I really don’t like the new interface. I can’t even add them to a separate folder. Now we are forced to use this crappy new interface. Personally I would prefer we have the option. that being said if you force an update the options are to not use the product or to use it, your a big enough conglomerate that we don’t have much say in how you handle your products.
In other words the new interface is horrible please either give us the option to use the old interface or unlock the apps from being forced into the new interface.
This is incredibly bad. I don’t use half these apps and all it does is advertise stuff I don’t watch. At least allow me to remove results from stuff I’m not watching. Ugh.
Seriously, change it back. This is the most annoying thing ever.
This is incredibly bad. I don’t use half these apps and all it does is advertise stuff I don’t watch. At least allow me to remove results from apps I’m not watching.
Also, VRV is Crunchyroll and Funimation in the same app. Finding a show on either app should ask you if you want to open it by default on VRV instead since it is both apps in one.
For example if I click the advertisement for “My Hero Academia” from Crunchyroll, it should open it in VRV instead.
This is incredibly bad. I don’t use half these apps and all it does is advertise stuff I don’t watch. At least allow me to remove results from apps I’m not watching.
Also, VRV is Crunchyroll and Funimation in the same app. Finding a show on either app should ask you if you want to open it by default on VRV instead since it is both apps in one.
For example if I click the advertisement for “My Hero Academia” from Crunchyroll, it should open it in VRV instead.
The SMARTER thing to do would be to display the watchlist for the apps you use and nothing else.
Filed a complaint about this “TV & Video” update. Case #: 25720039
Really don’t like it. I can’t change anything or get rid of icons I don’t use. I would like to be able to reorganize my icons to my satisfaction. I think I’ll switch to watching Youtube on my laptop again.