Dish Network has rolled out a new generation of its Dish Anywhere app for the iPad and Android and Kindle tablets that includes a refreshed interface and tacks on an array of personalization components.
Dish said the overhauled app, which works in conjunction with Dish’s Hopper with Sling whole-home HD-DVR platform, shifts to an “image-centric format” with large programming thumbnails on a dark background, making it easier for users to navigate.
Specific enhancements include programming recommendations based on viewing history; a “Watchlist” that consolidates desired programming; a “Recents” element that provides a drop-down menu of recently viewed DVR recordings and VOD titles; and a “Media Page” that aggregates info from the guide, DVR recordings, and VOD, and tells customers if a show is currently available on live TV, when upcoming episodes are airing, and whether they have been recorded to the Hopper DVR or available on VOD.
Other additions include “What’s Hot,” a feature that was previously available on the Hopper and the DISH Explorer app that highlights shows based on real-time viewer data, and the ability to use the app as a fancy TV remote control.
“DISH Anywhere has been embraced by DISH customers as the premier platform for watching television shows while on the go,” said Vivek Khemka, DISH senior vice president of product management, in a statement. “This is a powerful upgrade; the app’s streamlined design creates a user-friendly experience while giving consumers a dynamic way to engage and discover new programs.”
