From today Australians across the country can access their favourite ABC content in more ways than ever before following the rollout of major updates to the ABC iView app on several popular brands of Smart TV’s.
Now these TV’s can access all the newest ABC iView features directly without needing Android TV or Apple TV which have both had the new iView interface since 2019.
I’ve tested the update and it works well on my 2018 model Hisense 55P7 model Smart TV. It will be especially useful that my TV iView app Continue viewing list and Watch list will be synchronised with my phone, tablet etc.
The updated app provides a cleaner and more accessible interface, with login to bring rich personalisation features and program previews to help audiences find the latest releases of their favourite ABC content and discover new and original programming.
Alongside multiple platform improvements, the updated app has adaptive video streaming. This means higher quality streams are more reliable over slower network connections, resulting in a better, more consistent viewing experience and offering audiences across Australia access to the ABC iview app via a variety of ways – whenever and however they want, and wherever they are.
The updated ABC iView app is available on the following Smart TV’s:
- Samsung Tizen (2016 and later)
- Hisense (2017 and later)
- LG WebOS (1.0 and above)
It will also soon be coming to HbbTV/FreeviewPlus devices, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. In addition, 2020 Hisense Smart TV devices will now include a dedicated ABC iView remote control button, providing a fast and easy one-touch journey to the iView app.
Other key improvements include:
- High-definition streaming for selected programs
- Simplified program screens that make it easier to browse series and episodes as the ABC makes full programs available
- A handy navigation shortcut to ABC Kids for favourite children’s programs such as Bluey
- Access to all ABC TV live streams – ABC TV (including local state-based streams), ABC COMEDY, ABC Kids, ABC NEWS and ABC ME
Now even more Australians can link their TV to their ABC Account and have these features synchronised across multiple devices, including Smart TV, connected TV, desktops, smartphone and tablet devices.
ABC’s Chief Digital & Information Officer Helen Clifton said:
“This is a fantastic piece of teamwork. We’re continuing to strengthen the foundations for ABC iview and enhance our audience’s experience”.
“Out of this work has come a raft of exciting new functionality such as adaptive streaming, watchlists and login on any device so users can watch ABC content from where they left off – all made available to a large proportion of our ABC iview audience”.
“It means another innovative step forward for the ABC and makes our outstanding and distinctive content even more accessible to audiences.”
Coming up, ABC iView users can expect to see an improved search experience and personalised recommendations powered by ABC’s internally developed recommendations engine.
