Sling TV announces completely redesigned app, and it looks way nicer

Compared to competitors like YouTube TV and Hulu, Sling TV has never had the flashiest app, and the overall user experience leaves something to be desired. It’s been easy enough to overlook these faults since Sling TV undercuts those rivals on price, but today the company announced a completely redesigned app that focuses on more polish and personalized recommendations.

The new Sling TV app is rolling out first to “select customers” using Amazon’s Fire TV devices, and other platforms will be added as the year stretches on. (It’ll arrive on Roku sometime this summer, for example.) The Dish-owned company describes this as the “most comprehensive update in Sling TV’s history.” And based on screenshots and the GIF above, it does look like a significant makeover.

“After a year of talking to customers and working with our design and advanced engineering teams, we’re happy to roll out the new Sling TV app to deliver the best in live sports, news and entertainment, at the same unbeatable low price point,” Michael Schwimmer, group president of Sling TV, said in a press release.

The redesign comes with a lot of changes, including a left-side navigation column and a new homescreen that focuses on content recommendations. The channel guide has been “reimagined” to make favoriting channels and filtering easier, though it will still feel familiar to customers who want that traditional cable-like grid.

Image: Sling TV

Sling TV’s cloud DVR now gets its own tab, which should make it easier to sort through your recordings. By default, the service comes with 50 hours of DVR space, but you can expand this to 200 hours for an extra $5 per month.

“If a streaming app is done right, it should be practically invisible, allowing the user to get to the most relevant content quickly and easily — the new Sling TV experience does just that,” said Jon Lin, Sling TV’s VP of product.