(Credit: Roku)
Roku is rolling out its biggest home screen redesign in over a decade, and it's all about trying to predict what you’d like to watch.
The redesign expands the “Top Picks For You” section, giving it a larger footprint and recommending TV shows and movies that Roku’s algorithm thinks you’ll like. It also features a “Quick Access” section below that’ll continually refresh to display your most used apps.
“A majority of streamers (82%) agree they would love if they turned on their TV and the show they wanted to watch was right on their Home Screen," Roku says. "The new Roku Home Screen does just that, recommending content based on your interests and helping you start watching faster."
It’s a big change from the current home screen, which features “Top Picks For You,” followed by “Apps and Inputs,” which can result in a long catalog. The redesign seems to pick out the eight most used apps and prop them up in the new Quick Access section. As you scroll down, Roku will then surface new categories, including “Your Next Watch,” “What Are You In The Mood For,” and “The Best Across Your Streaming Services” to help you find new content.
The Quick Access section can be manually changed to “add or remove any app you’d like.” Other apps can also be found as you scroll down to the “Your Apps” section.
“Think of it as your entertainment guide—always helpful, fast, and surprisingly good at knowing what you’re in the mood for,” the company explained in a blog post. The Top Picks section also includes a prominent “For You” button that’ll expand to offer you all kinds of recommendations, including through a “Your Daily Scoop” section that’ll tell you what’s trending in media culture.
“Whether it’s a massive premiere, a celebrity birthday, or that viral moment everyone is talking about, The Daily Scoop helps you discover relevant content tied to each theme,” Roku added.
(Credit: Roku)Even the signature Roku "City" screensaver is getting a revamp. The company has created an “interactive” version that promises to let viewers jump in and explore the scenery, which has long packed numerous Hollywood references.
(Credit: Roku)One thing that isn’t changing is the large ad on the right side of the Roku home screen. The big question is whether consumers will embrace the redesign. For now, Roku emphasized that it was created with input from customers, who tested the system extensively.
Roku TV and streaming device owners can expect the new home screen to roll out today in the US. “More than 100 million households will feel the difference the moment they turn on their TV,” the company noted.