DirecTV Now Reaches 1M Subscribers While AT&T Continues to Promise DVR, 4K, and More Coming in 2018

[MacRumors]

AT&T this morning announced that its over-the-top streaming service DirecTV Now has surpassed the one million subscriber mark, with the milestone coming in just a little bit over a year since the service launched on November 30, 2016. DirecTV Now originally debuted only on iOS and Apple TV devices, and continues to promote the Apple TV in offers where new subscribers can pay for four months of service upfront ($140) and get an all-new 32GB Apple TV 4K ($180) for free.

In comparison, Sling TV is said to still sit at the top of the OTT streaming service bundle market with about 1.7 million subscribers as of Q3 2017. Around this time, Sling TV was followed by PlayStation Vue (455,000 subscribers), YouTube TV (325,000), Hulu with Live TV (150,000), and FuboTV (100,000), according to research firm Guggenheim Securities (via Variety). At the end of the same quarter this year, AT&T reported about 787,000 people had signed up for DirecTV Now, which has now grown to more than one million in just over two months.

"This milestone is an incredible testament to the thousands of hours many people spent working to bring this product online and continually improving it during the past year," said David Christopher, president, AT&T Entertainment Group. "We're thrilled so many customers have come to love DIRECTV NOW and can't wait to bring them a host of new features in 2018."

"To reach 1 million subscribers is an important benchmark for any OTT video service, but to go from zero to 1 million subscribers so quickly is quite an achievement," said Brett Sappington, senior director of Research, Parks Associates.

As it celebrates the milestone, AT&T also looked forward into the New Year and listed a few upcoming features coming to the service in 2018. According to the company, subscribers can expect the following features to be added to DirecTV Now sometime next year:

- A DVR in the cloud to record your shows and access virtually anywhere
- 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) quality video
- Capacity for more than 35,000 titles on demand
- Individual profiles
- Adding an additional concurrent stream
- More......surprises!

One of the most-requested additions to DirecTV Now is a cloud-based DVR for recording and storing shows to watch later, and AT&T originally stated that the DVR would be launching in fall 2017. The DVR has been in beta for weeks now, so it appears that AT&T is still fine-tuning the experience ahead of the wide launch next year. It's not clear if all of the new features will debut at once, but besides the DVR subscribers can expect an overhauled user interface, 4K video, expanded on demand options, and more.

Article Link: DirecTV Now Reaches 1M Subscribers While AT&T Continues to Promise DVR, 4K, and More Coming in 2018

 

[dlewis23]

One thing not mentioned is the new UI coming next year along with all these other features and it is so much better especially on the AppleTV. They really figured out how to make the UI work well with the remote.

 

[macinsanity]

Let’s hope they fix NBC buffering issues during any NFL football game. It doesn’t happen on other networks.

 

[edk99]

One thing not mentioned is the new UI coming next year along with all these other features and it is so much better especially on the AppleTV. They really figured out how to make the UI work well with the remote.

I agree. I really don't like the apple remote. It is to sensitive to accidentally touches. I find myself changing channels by accident because of that.

 

[GOAT4521]

I am still waiting for CBS in my area. Unbelievable they still don't have the DC Metro area online with CBS. Also does anyone have volume issues with the Fox channels?

 

[ccrunner_tj]

A new UI and 4K support would be really awesome. I've sort of gotten used to not having DVR, but I'm sure I would get used to having it again if I did!

 

[shareef777]

Too late. I put in my cancellation a couple weeks back and the last day of my billing cycle is tomorrow. Promises promises. I've heard nothing but promises over the past year. And during that entire year what they DIDN'T do is fix what was already supposed to be there. I couldn't stream an NFL game in HD even when I bumped my internet package up to 300Mbps.

But I gotta give it to them. Keep promising. Costs them nothing and if users hold onto the service for another month or two (or more like 6mo in my case), that's money to their pocket.

 

[nburwell]

I'm really surprised that PS Vue doesn't have more subscribers. To me, they appear to be the most polished streaming service of the bunch.

While I have no doubt that DIRECTV Now service has improved since it originally launched last year, I will not consider switching from PS Vue to Now until the latter introduces DVR service.

 

[earthTOmitchel]

One thing not mentioned is the new UI coming next year along with all these other features and it is so much better especially on the AppleTV. They really figured out how to make the UI work well with the remote.

In what ways do you mean? My biggest complaint (and I signed up for DTVNow like 3 weeks ago) is that it doesn't have live TV scrubbing and an instant "back to previous channel" button. I'm not sure how that would work on Apple TV remote, but coming from cable, those are the major two things that I feel are really missing for me.

 

[LeeTom]

To use the free HBO they give you with AT&T Wireless service, you have to sign up through DirecTV. I wonder how many of these 1M subscribers aren’t actually paying anything beyond their phone bill.

 

[shareef777]

In what ways do you mean? My biggest complaint (and I signed up for DTVNow like 3 weeks ago) is that it doesn't have live TV scrubbing and an instant "back to previous channel" button. I'm not sure how that would work on Apple TV remote, but coming from cable, those are the major two things that I feel are really missing for me.

Yep, and even basic things like pausing a live show doesn't work. I'd pause the show, but then when I try to resume after a few minutes it either just sits there or goes to the very start of the program/show.

 

[dugbug]

as a beta tester of their cloud dvr version, I have filed several reports BEGGING them to support either the apple remote playback shortcuts (i.e. scrubbing, right-side /left-side click to skip, triple-tap to toggle CC, etc) or to support the extended remote features (like using a TIVO remote) that you can set up all the usual buttons ff/rw/skip/back/chan up, etc.

Right now you have to activate onscreen playback control buttons and navigate to them. PAINFUL.

I love they are hanging in there and improving it, but I have not gotten any traction with my requests for basic user interface improvements.

 

[gotluck]

On PS VUE, will give DirectTV Now a shot when they roll out the dvr.

2 simultaneous streams versus the 5 on vue may be too low for my family though, 3 would make all the difference

 

[Skeptical.me]

AT&T this morning announced that its over-the-top streaming service DirecTV Now has surpassed the one million subscriber mark, with the milestone coming in just a little bit over a year since the service launched on November 30, 2016. DirecTV Now originally debuted only on iOS and Apple TV devices, and continues to promote the Apple TV in offers where new subscribers can pay for four months of service upfront ($140) and get an all-new 32GB Apple TV 4K ($180) for free.

In comparison, Sling TV is said to still sit at the top of the OTT streaming service bundle market with about 1.7 million subscribers as of Q3 2017. Around this time, Sling TV was followed by PlayStation Vue (455,000 subscribers), YouTube TV (325,000), Hulu with Live TV (150,000), and FuboTV (100,000), according to research firm Guggenheim Securities (via Variety). At the end of the same quarter this year, AT&T reported about 787,000 people had signed up for DirecTV Now, which has now grown to more than one million in just over two months.

As it celebrates the milestone, AT&T also looked forward into the New Year and listed a few upcoming features coming to the service in 2018. According to the company, subscribers can expect the following features to be added to DirecTV Now sometime next year:
One of the most-requested additions to DirecTV Now is a cloud-based DVR for recording and storing shows to watch later, and AT&T originally stated that the DVR would be launching in fall 2017. The DVR has been in beta for weeks now, so it appears that AT&T is still fine-tuning the experience ahead of the wide launch next year. It's not clear if all of the new features will debut at once, but besides the DVR subscribers can expect an overhauled user interface, 4K video, expanded on demand options, and more.

Article Link: DirecTV Now Reaches 1M Subscribers While AT&T Continues to Promise DVR, 4K, and More Coming in 2018

Its hands down the best live TV streaming App available on the ATV 4 - 4K App store. Its not perfect but I like the UI generally and its good value for money.
[doublepost=1512485022][/doublepost]

I agree. I really don't like the apple remote. It is to sensitive to accidentally touches. I find myself changing channels by accident because of that.

Yes! The slightest touch to the left or right and you've changed channels, thats a annoying thing.

 

[dlewis23]

I agree. I really don't like the apple remote. It is to sensitive to accidentally touches. I find myself changing channels by accident because of that.

I hated this so much but with the new UI coming this stops. Everything has some weight to it, so slight touches of the remote won't do a change.

 

[DanThePhotoMan]

I dropped Direct TV Now and went with Hulu. Hulu already has the features DTVN is planning for 2018! So happy with Hulu that I dropped cable as well.

 

[iReality85]

In what ways do you mean? My biggest complaint (and I signed up for DTVNow like 3 weeks ago) is that it doesn't have live TV scrubbing and an instant "back to previous channel" button. I'm not sure how that would work on Apple TV remote, but coming from cable, those are the major two things that I feel are really missing for me.

The channel guide, for one. When you swipe up/down, it tends to go into different time slots, which is annoying. This is my experience at least.

This is excellent news though. I've long suspected that 4K cable would first pop up in streaming cable services, and that now looks to be correct. The DVR will also be much appreciated, although with more and more content available through On Demand, the value of a DVR function isn't as great as it once was, but will still be nice to have.

Lastly, for $35 a month (no taxes or fees either) how can you beat that? I joined a few months ago, and since then I've convinced a few of of my friends to make the switch, and they're loving it now too. The only channels the bottom tier is missing are things like local channels, CBS, and the Science channel. All things I can do without or wait for. Everything else is what you'd get in a $120 cable package.

 

[aneftp]

It’s a no brained to sign up for 4 months direct tv now ($140 prepay) if u want Apple TV 4K.

They give u the 4K Apple TV for free. Normally Apple TV 4K is $179.99 for 32gb.

Plus use Bank of America cash rewards visa and get $35 credit.

So even if I don’t like direct tv now. I still got a Apple TV 4K for $105!

And I already have direct tv (regular tv service) I pay only $35 a month with 3 receivers/whole house Dave and free hbo with 200 channels nfl package. (Get $60 monthly credit on a 12 month subscription) and i get $25 att/direct Tv unlimited data plus)

 

[dlewis23]

In what ways do you mean? My biggest complaint (and I signed up for DTVNow like 3 weeks ago) is that it doesn't have live TV scrubbing and an instant "back to previous channel" button. I'm not sure how that would work on Apple TV remote, but coming from cable, those are the major two things that I feel are really missing for me.

The new UI is very simplified, there is no more pull down from the top its only from the bottom. Everything has weight to it so no accidental slight touches of the remote to change the channel or something else. The new guide is much cleaner, faster and easier to see what your on. Scrubbing would come with the DVR and I have requested a back to previous channel feature and a couple other things for the new version.

Everyone has liked to rag on AT&T for DirectTV Now over the past year but after using the beta of 2.0 for a little bit now its pretty clear that someone at AT&T is listening.

 

[Kaibelf]

I'll be honest - if the price wasn't 35 a month for the Go Big package as an early subscriber, and I didn't get the free year of HBO as an apology (yes, it WAS an apology move, DTVN) I would have switched out. However, my patience is wearing thin. As a customer, here's what I expect from them:

• They need to fix the interface like... NOW. Not "in the coming weeks" which means 7 months away. A light wind changes the channel and the guide jumps all over the place if you pull it up and you're not currently tuned into a favorite. Annoying and poor design.
• They need to get their Showtime subscription to work with on-demand. 8/mo for JUST live Showtime? Forget it. They have had a few months to fix this, and I've given up and nixed Showtime from my package because they lied about the timetable.
• They need to get that DVR functionality online. It's been too long.
• They need to remove the people who are working on these issues if they at long last admit they don't know what they are doing (which is what it looks like) and get people in there who know how to handle the project.
• They need to stop lying to their customers and be honest about where things stand. That for me is the worst part. Don't make promises if you can't keep them, and don't go dark when people ask question or refer them to a FAQ. It's unprofessional and insulting.

I guess I can only complain so much since the price point is so low, but eventually the whole "you get what you pay for" vibe sets in, and DTVN starts to look like a garbage bargain alternative when for $5-10/mo more you get a much more consistent and well-run experience from competitors.

 

[maflynn]

I was on PS Vue earlier this year, but in all honesty, I was getting more for my money with comcast - shocking I know.

 

[Skeptical.me]

I dropped Direct TV Now and went with Hulu. Hulu already has the features DTVN is planning for 2018! So happy with Hulu that I dropped cable as well.

While HULU has a great catalogue of shows, the new UI is horrendous, I'm glad ATV 4 TV App is there to help.

 

[earthTOmitchel]

The new UI is very simplified, there is no more pull down from the top its only from the bottom. Everything has weight to it so no accidental slight touches of the remote to change the channel or something else. The new guide is much cleaner, faster and easier to see what your on. Scrubbing would come with the DVR and I have requested a back to previous channel feature and a couple other things for the new version.

Everyone has liked to rag on AT&T for DirectTV Now over the past year but after using the beta of 2.0 for a little bit now its pretty clear that someone at AT&T is listening.

Okay this is really good to hear then
[doublepost=1512486147][/doublepost]

Yep, and even basic things like pausing a live show doesn't work. I'd pause the show, but then when I try to resume after a few minutes it either just sits there or goes to the very start of the program/show.

I haven't had trouble with pausing, but maybe this is similar: this weekend I noticed frequent issues with jumping back to the beginning of a live show. I saw Ant-Man was in the middle of the movie on TNT, so I jumped back to the start to have it on in the background, and at least 3-5 times the picture froze but the audio kept on going uninterrupted. I had to jump back to Apple TV home menu and re-launch DTVNow to fix it. On around the 5th time, it didn't pick up where I had left off, and resumed the live tv air time. Super super annoying.

 

[macinsanity]

Too late. I put in my cancellation a couple weeks back and the last day of my billing cycle is tomorrow. Promises promises. I've heard nothing but promises over the past year. And during that entire year what they DIDN'T do is fix what was already supposed to be there. I couldn't stream an NFL game in HD even when I bumped my internet package up to 300Mbps.

But I gotta give it to them. Keep promising. Costs them nothing and if users hold onto the service for another month or two (or more like 6mo in my case), that's money to their pocket.

Took the words right out of my mouth. I canceled this month as well. I moved to Hulu Live with Cloud DVR. It isn't perfect, but less buffering and when it does buffer I can rewind the game a bit and the buffering will stop because I'm viewing the recorded stream. Also, the UI in Hulu for Live TV is terrible with no real grid based guide, but the streaming works better and cloud DVR with pause, rewind and fast forward of live shows is there.

 

[RagingBrosGaming]

Let’s hope they fix NBC buffering issues during any NFL football game. It doesn’t happen on other networks.

I never have problems with buffering during a NFL game. Must be your connection
[doublepost=1512487547][/doublepost]I’ve had DirectvNow since it was launched and I love it. Except the menu on Apple TV 4K can get stuck when scrolling to another channel. It happens every day. Still hasn’t been fixed.