Details Emerge for Hulu's Upcoming Live TV Service on iOS

[MacRumors]

After partners like CBS and NBC were confirmed to be part of Hulu's upcoming live-streaming TV service, Mashable recently got a glimpse of the early build for the service on both iOS and full-screen TV apps. Hulu has still kept details under wraps regarding specific price points and plans, although Hulu Chief Executive Mike Hopkins said last week that it will cost users "under $40" each month.

The addition of live TV is said to have changed Hulu's "entire user experience," by combining the company's existing on-demand content with the all-new live TV streams. The app guides users through a taste-test quiz about the type of TV they like to watch, using the information and accumulated data of what each user watches to offer recommendations on its home screen. If there are multiple users in a house, each person will get their own menu, recommendations, and everyone can watch their shows at once.

If the new Hulu has a philosophy, it's personal, personal, personal. From the home screen to the recommendations it serves up, the new Hulu is intended to be about you. That becomes clear the moment you launch the new app on your phone, which quizzes you on the kind of content you like -- genres, networks and specific shows -- before you even get to the home screen. Sorta like Foursquare, but for TV.

The "Lineup" greets users when they first dive into their personal profile, and it's said to be "a compilation of the content -- live or on-demand -- Hulu thinks is most important to you." Favorite shows will take top billing, while shows recorded in a cloud DVR (an expected add-on feature) will also be added to the Lineup.

The user interface then splits content into a horizontal list with icons at the top of the screen representing Movies, News and Networks. The Networks tab is where most of Hulu's live content will be housed, with users able to tap on any channel and tune into what's happening now on each station. Mobile notifications will be available to warn users when a game is starting with their favorite team, but the feature will only encompass sports at launch. Notifications for breaking news and warnings about expiring TV shows are being worked on as well.

One of Mashable's concerns about the new service is its attempt at seamlessly mixing Hulu's old content with its new live-streaming options. The site compared the move to when Apple decided to do something similar with both old, downloaded songs and the new streaming content in Apple Music, which confused many users.

The demo I got of Hulu's new UI was canned, so I didn't get a chance to navigate it myself. From the looks of it, Hulu has done a good job of mixing together live and on-demand content into a single interface, although it's questionable if they ever should have been mixed in the first place.

Similarly, when Apple mixed together on-demand music streaming with downloads in Apple Music, it stepped into a minefield. It eventually rolled back the UI to better separate the two things the app does. Will the same thing happen to Hulu?

Curiosity surrounding the new live TV service from Hulu has been building ever since it was rumored last May. As of now, Hulu's cord-cutting service includes partners CBS, Walt Disney, Time Warner, Fox, and NBC. When it launches sometime in the spring, the service will enter the market to competitors including Sling TV and DirecTV Now, but Hulu won't have to worry about competition from Apple's own live-streaming service since it has long been shelved after the company failed to make inroads with network programmers.

Article Link: Details Emerge for Hulu's Upcoming Live TV Service on iOS

 

[TurboPGT!]

When are these companies going to learn that no one wants these curated recommended UIs. Give me a guide, show me whats available, let me pick. Enough with TOP PICKS FOR YOU with crap I will never watch.

 

[BJMRamage]

When are these companies going to learn that no one wants these curated recommended UIs. Give me a guide, show me whats available, let me pick. Enough with TOP PICKS FOR YOU with crap I will never watch.

unless everyone drops these services/companies they won't 'learn'

Using curated picks is annoying to me at times, but it is all about the immersive experience. If you only watch A,B,C shows you could easily switch "tv" providers/streaming services on the fly. If you expand your shows to X,Y,Z thanks to Hulu/other curated companies, then you are more bonded to that experience because you know like these shows. some of the shows may be exclusive to the service or just that you now like these new shows and they were "picked just for you" by XX streaming service and that makes this service more likable than another streaming service that has the same shows.

It is almost like the YouTube "up next" where you watch one video and suddenly others pop up that may be related and may just be randomly "picked for you"


TL;DR: if a streaming service is just channels/shows you can easily bounce to the next service based on price. if they offer more than that, you may decide you like the whole package and feel a more personal connection.

 

[Carmenia83]

At least DIRECTV Now set the bar really low so no matter what Hulu comes out with, it will be much better.

 

[weave]

I don't care about all this crap, I just want it to work.

Have it work reliably and I'll sign up.

DirectTV Now has been a freakin nightmare.

 

[tazinlwfl]

PlayStation Vue has hit the sweet spot for me. Most of my devices are supported, Live TV is actually solid (at least on my Apple Devices - the PS3 is a little flakey). I love the guide view, PROFILES, and the Cloud DVR is the best feature IMO. And though its not set up with the Single Sign-In feature of iOS, most of the Channel Apps can be authenticated with PS Vue and used in the new TV App (the universal Watch List is neat).

Main thing missing is Mobile Live TV. I can 'trick' it into staying live when I leave my house. I watch "CBS This Morning", and switch to my iPhone when I get in the car. As long as I'm on my Wifi when I turn it on, it stays on for the rest of my drive. Pausing on my AppleTV and picking up again on another device is handy.

 

[weave]

PlayStation Vue has hit the sweet spot for me.

My problem so far with Vue has been I live on the edge of a TV DMA and whenever Comcast spits me out a new IP I often get one that Geo locates into the next town over and then Vue bans me. I have to call up, they cancel me and I have to re-sign up. Then I lose my live channels until the next time my IP gets changed. It's a real hassle.

 

[now i see it]

$40/month and still chocked full of commercials.

 

[jumanji]

I don't care about all this crap, I just want it to work.

Have it work reliably and I'll sign up.

DirectTV Now has been a freakin nightmare.

yea, i love the price point and the channels that are available. $5/mo for HBO is nice also and HBO Go recognizes the subscription.

the guide absolutely sucks. they need to offer a remote as an option/accessory...don't want to navigate just using a phone or ipad

 

[Juicy Box]

Hulu won't have to worry about competition from Apple's own live-streaming service since it has long been shelved after the company failed to make inroads with network programmers.

I have no interest in Live tv, but I know this is a must have for some people, especially when sports are involved.

This sounds like an interesting services. I know a lot of people will not be interested, due to the bundle type service, but I think this will be good as an alternative to the existing streaming services, and Cable. People can easily try it, and cancel if they don't like it or want to take a break from it, unlike cable.

This could be the experience that Apple was describing in the ATV4 press release. So far, the ATV4 has been kind of a let down.

 

[cardfan]

Nope, just more garbage like directv Now.

 

[nightowl]

$40/month and still chocked full of commercials.

There's a ton of programming you just can't get from traditional Hulu or Netflix, and you need some form of cable TV to get, and then there's live sports and other live programming.

If the service offers all of the programming you are looking for, $40 a month is much better than $120 for cable or satellite, and could be a great price if you are able to consolidate your OTT services. When I had Vue, I was able to cancel both Hulu and CBS, so saved $13 a month and 2 less subscriptions. If DirectvNow gets their act together, I might be able to cancel them again.

So, if Hulu hits the mark with their service, there are a lot of people who could upgrade their Hulu plan, eliminate CBS, eliminate DTVNow, Sling, and/or Vue, and, for some, eliminate Netflix. All told, some could just pay $40 a month for all of their TV programming needs.

I'm still not holding my breath for this to be the right service, but hoping that it improves upon what is already available and sets the bar just a little higher than the 3 main services have done so far.

 

[npmacuser5]

The good news, TV moving away from dedicated boxes. Much like the landline did years ago. Growing pains for sure. However, I now see the possibility of dealing with one interface, device and no longterm contracts involving installation and hardware. Change a slow process until it happens. We are on the cusps of happens. Next step, ala crate and an option for no commercials across All media.

 

[2010mini]

My problem so far with Vue has been I live on the edge of a TV DMA and whenever Comcast spits me out a new IP I often get one that Geo locates into the next town over and then Vue bans me. I have to call up, they cancel me and I have to re-sign up. Then I lose my live channels until the next time my IP gets changed. It's a real hassle.

So the your problem is caused by your ISP not PS Vue. Have you asked your ISP why they keep changing your IP address?

 

[npmacuser5]

So the your problem is caused by your ISP not PS Vue. Have you asked your ISP why they keep changing your IP address?

Actually not an IP address, that is local to ones network. Internet routing and how PS Vue reviews this information. The problem lies with the PS Vue's implementation of location services for theft of services actions. Sony needs to fix this.

 

[bookcase]

I watch Good Morning American and local ABC news in the morning and evening -- otherwise, my cable subscription is wasted. My cable price goes up in May and I'd like to cancel or downgrade to the bare minimum, so a service like this sounds tempting.

 

[weave]

So the your problem is caused by your ISP not PS Vue. Have you asked your ISP why they keep changing your IP address?

Dynamic IPs are pretty normal with ISPs. Also, Direct TV Now seems to have figured out how to implement region restrictions just fine using billing address and doesn't have this issue. Unfortunately, Direct TV Now reliability is currently horrible otherwise I'd ditch Vue. Just can't win. :-(

 

[avanpelt]

Main thing missing is Mobile Live TV.

That's the only reason I didn't sign up for a trial of PS Vue.

It's 2017, for crying out loud! To have the kind of restrictions they have on where you can stream live TV is bizarre and incredibly customer-unfriendly -- especially considering that pretty much every other major TV provider allows streaming to mobile devices over cellular. Heck, I've been streaming live TV using Slingboxes since the iPhone 3G, for crying out loud! Glad I no longer have to rely on Slingbox to get live TV on mobile, but that's another story for another thread.

I like the idea of separate user accounts and DVR, both of which PS Vue has. However, without being able to access live TV on the go, PS Vue is worthless to my family.
[doublepost=1484070215][/doublepost]

Dynamic IPs are pretty normal with ISPs. Also, Direct TV Now seems to have figured out how to implement region restrictions just fine using billing address and doesn't have this issue. Unfortunately, Direct TV Now reliability is currently horrible otherwise I'd ditch Vue. Just can't win. :-(

I agree on the non-reliability of DIRECTV Now. However, interesting to note that I was able to watch the Alabama-Clemson game last night without a single QP1502 error. I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe it worked so well because AT&T was sponsoring the game?

Meanehile, HBO is still a hot mess in the DIRECTV Now app. I tried streaming some on demand HBO content last night after the game was over and I got QP1502 errors every few minutes. And this is over AT&T Fiber averaging 920 Mbps up and down so I know the connection is not the problem. I didn't realize, however, that HBO Go worked with DIRECTV Now -- someone earlier in the thread mentioned that. I think I will try the HBO Go app. It has to be more reliable than trying to watch HBO's on demand content through the DIRECTV Now app.

 

[jlc1978]

What will the ISP charge for the internet connection to deliver the service? My experience with streaming is it was easy to hit a 300GB cap and incur overages, so heavy users may find they are still paying as much or more once they cut the cord. Someone who doesn't treat much will probably save money. Since many ISPs are also cable companies, shifting revenue from declining cable subscriptions to internet use charges is a way to keep revenue and profits up. Uverse lifts their cap if you have internet and cable service through them which is another way to limit cable cutting.

 

[Juicy Box]

What will the ISP charge for the internet connection to deliver the service? My experience with streaming is it was easy to hit a 300GB cap and incur overages, so heavy users may find they are still paying as much or more once they cut the cord. Someone who doesn't treat much will probably save money. Since many ISPs are also cable companies, shifting revenue from declining cable subscriptions to internet use charges is a way to keep revenue and profits up. Uverse lifts their cap if you have internet and cable service through them which is another way to limit cable cutting.

You should check to see if you cap was increased. Comcast increased many of its monthly data caps to 1TB, while expanding which areas have caps. I think I am lucky enough to be out of the cap area, but even still, I never went over 1TB of data a month before. I think the most was 850GBs and few years ago.

 

[jlc1978]

You should check to see if you cap was increased. Comcast increased many of its monthly data caps to 1TB, while expanding which areas have caps. I think I am lucky enough to be out of the cap area, but even still, I never went over 1TB of data a month before. I think the most was 850GBs and few years ago.

I have Uverse so I have no cap. Not sure what Comcast's is but Uverse is cheaper so I went with them. 1TB should be plenty for most viewers, even with heavy Netflix I only hit a little above 300GB some months. Looking at some data use numbers, depending on the quality you chose, Netflix could let you stream anywhere from 3 hours to 24 hours a day; Hulu 10 hours a day and Amazon 10 hours a day in SD and 4 a day in HD for a 250GB data cap and 30 day month. 1TB pretty much makes data usage not an issue unless you stream HD 24x7.

Of course the bundle price of cable + ISP may still be less than ISP+Hulu/Netflix and add on HBO/etc depending on what you want to watch. In addition, some channels are simply not available except with cable.

 

[tazinlwfl]

That's the only reason I didn't sign up for a trial of PS Vue.

It's 2017, for crying out loud! To have the kind of restrictions they have on where you can stream live TV is bizarre and incredibly customer-unfriendly -- especially considering that pretty much every other major TV provider allows streaming to mobile devices over cellular.

It's all licensing. This whole topic involves that giant ***** elephant in the room. I could pay CBS directly to live stream over my cell network, but that means an extra $6/mo for just them. Which I did before I had Vue, but again I found a way around my particular use case to keep similar functionality (and actually better because the DVR works on Mobile) than CBS offered directly with All Access. Never mind that until recently CBS All Access didn't even include NFL games at all - not a blackout issue, a complete lack of licensing on the part of CBS All Access.

As more and more ISPs scoop up those Networks and Services (e.g. AT&T = DirecTV; Comcast = NBC/Universal; DISH = Sling), it gives them the advantage that 3rd parties (Sony, Apple) have to overcome by offering other features. Mobile Streaming will come, eventually. I don't NEED to stream live TV while I'm outside. I hardly ever find myself wanting to watch anything live during the day, and everything that comes on "prime time" is usually available somewhere else the next day on demand from the channel app, or even LIVE from the channel app (AMC, for example, lets me sign in with Vue and stream live over Mobile).

HBO and Showtime Now/Anytime are included with certain Vue tiers (or as add-ons), and both work great for Live and On-Demand on Vue, but I usually just use the default apps because they hook into Apple's TV App. I find myself paying for Vue as a service, but using the Vue app less and less as more Channels get their apps working with the TV app and authenticating with Vue. The biggest hit for me, and almost made me drop Vue, was the loss of Viacom channels. However, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon have their own apps (or are on Hulu, of which I have commercial-free tier). Like every other restriction or licensing negotiation, things will change eventually.

And to those complaining about having to pay for home internet AND Vue/Hulu Live/Sling/Etc - basically suggesting that you're wasting money: My internet service at home is basically required, and I have a high-tier speed not just for streaming TV, but all of the other services I use (as a content creator). I also use these entertainment services on my mobile devices, which requires a separate internet service. I find Vue to be the most agnostic service for my uses, and does not require me to tie it to my ISP, which I rely on. It's much easier to temporarily cancel all of my entertainment options and pick them up later when I can 'afford' them (or when its the right season) than trying to bundle with my one or two ISPs and get locked into a fixed price (or penalized when changing). Some services get around this because they're provided by the same ISP - DirecTV Now comes to mind - but I have T-Mobile, and most of those Channel Apps and Services are Zero-Rated anyways, so I hardly lose out and I pay less.


ETA: Caps: for T-Mobile I have 10GB and zero-rated music/video, so I barely get into it, and I have Comcast at home, which never enforced their previous caps at 200GB, but just increased it to 1TB. I download/upload LOTS of video and large files, and I have never get close. And I mean I run my own "OwnCloud"/Media server from my home, stream security cameras, and recently started live streaming. Before that I had Bitcasa and synced my entire 3TB iMac up and down a few times (that was a total mess when Bitcasa crapped the bed, but Comcast never complained)

 

[Juicy Box]

Of course the bundle price of cable + ISP may still be less than ISP+Hulu/Netflix and add on HBO/etc depending on what you want to watch. In addition, some channels are simply not available except with cable.

The cable companies will get you with the rental fees. If you have a medium size family and have HD STBs in a few rooms, the equipment rental fees could easily be over $40 a month. More than the Hulu streaming costs.

Also, you can always cancel any of the streaming services for a few months to save some cash, or if your favorite shows only come on during a particular season.

For example, I only would want HBO to watch GoTs, as soon as it is over, I can cancel it. A cable company's service is not nearly as easy or cheap to cancel and start back up.

I know that Cable TV might be good for many people, but the costs really add up, and the flexibility is not nearly as good as streaming.

 

[jlc1978]

As more and more ISPs scoop up those Networks and Services (e.g. AT&T = DirecTV; Comcast = NBC/Universal; DISH = Sling), it gives them the advantage that 3rd parties (Sony, Apple) have to overcome by offering other features.

I see a bifurcation of roles in delivering content. Non-content owners such as Apple will focus on the user experience and providing the gateway to the content, so that Apple TV becomes a home hub that is used to stream whatever services you want and allows you to view them across multiple devices. Beyond just providing a signal to a TV it will allow you to direct your stream to other devices on your network, essentially become the main path for all content. Devices such as tablets, phones, etc would use similar apps so that content could also be viewed remotely with a user authentication system such as is currently used, and if licensing agreements allow it Apple could also offer a cloud based DVR for recording and remote viewing of content. Other third party vendors, such as Amazon, Google, etc. would compete for the same hub market as well. All might offer their own content, a such as Amazon currently does, but that would be on a more agnostic basis.
cable companies would be more of an ISP/Content provider than a "traditional" cable company that controls the set top box as well as what is carried.

Of course, Apple or Google could just decide to buy a cable provider...

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

I know that Cable TV might be good for many people, but the costs really add up, and the flexibility is not nearly as good as streaming.

Depends. This weekend I could not stream The Golden Globes on any device..it's not available for streaming. So in this case, streaming was not flexible. Much to my dismay.