The latest update is available on iOS and Android platforms. Users are being offered an immersive viewing experience.
If you are looking for entertainment, there are options galore. In the last few years, due to the rapid proliferation of over-the-top or OTT streaming platforms, the average Indian user is spoilt for choice. Movies, sports, music, web series, and a lot more, and all of these are being offered in the language you prefer.
Disney+ Hotstar is currently among the leading streaming services in India. In an age of aggressive competition from its contemporaries, the company has been working towards offering the most comfortable streaming experience for its millions of viewers. As part of its plan to offer multiple features to its vast user base, Disney+ Hotstar made a comprehensive update to its platform.
The latest update offers improved features such as an immersive hero unit, seamless content discovery, intuitive navigation, comprehensive playback controls, etc. According to the company, the refreshed product features have been developed to meet the evolving needs of users who increasingly seek personal and interactive experiences on the app. The update is available on both iOS and Android platforms in India.
I tried the app for a week to watch shows, movies, and sports, and here’s my take on the updated platform.
A fresh-looking home screen
The first thing that one will notice is the easy navigation and personalisation experience on the updated platform. I noticed that the refreshed interface was cleaner, and much more user-friendly. The navigation was intuitive and content discovery was hassle-free, as I could easily spot the content that interested me. Besides, the personalised experience meant that I could have content tailored to my viewing preferences right at my fingertips.
The all-new homepage offers a large immersive hero unit that displays content information in an accessible manner to let users decide at their convenience. The unit focuses on the best stories from around the world offering a varied set of options to the users.
Hassle-free navigation
Among the most impactful changes, I feel, is the ease of navigation. The navigation is designed to help users with searching, accessing downloads, profiles, and account information, and more. The latest update also offers a floating action bar to help users refine their home screen as per their preferences. I also feel the personalised experience was tied to my viewing preferences as the platform’s recommendations were spot on. Besides, I also found several new shows and movies that I may have not found otherwise.
Personalisation and content discovery
The app allows one to set preferences for each profile and device, especially in terms of video and audio quality settings. Besides for all those binge-watchers, the improved navigation simplifies view across seasons and episodes of a show. It also facilitates the better discovery of similar content. The all-new Disney+ Hotstar comes with a ‘My Space’ tab which exclusively lets users see all things related to the user. This came in handy as all shows, movies, and settings of my preferences came stacked in one place.
The company claimed with the update users will be able to experience faster browsing and a dedicated tab that offers easier navigation and search. I tested both on my iPhone and smartTV and content searching was smoother than expected. The latest update has also improved the visual UX, this is particularly useful in seeing snapshot previews of content.
The only issue I personally faced was for some shows, for example, Abbot Elementary, I struggled to locate episodes and seasons while browsing through the smartTV version.
Verdict:
Overall, I am impressed with the fresh face-lift. The new update offers the platform an immersive and easy viewing experience. The content previews and information, added with the UX give the app a global feeling. The revamped interface is clean and easy to use, a more engaging way to display an assortment of content. Perhaps, it seems the Disney+ Hotstar app has transformed itself for the better.
Source:indianexpress.com