Streaming service and media software program maker Plex on Friday launched a redesign of its software program that places extra emphasis on discovery, simply accessing your watchlist, and different personalization options — together with these for residence media lovers who nonetheless use the app to arrange their media libraries.
Over time, the corporate has tried to stability its historical past as a software program maker centered on residence media group with its future as a streaming service, the place it generates income by way of ad-supported content material. Following its $40 million fundraise at the start of 2024, the corporate stated it could be nearing profitability round year-end or early 2025. Provided that purpose, Plex’s redesign must be profitable.
That’s additionally why the corporate is taking cautious steps with regard to its modifications, which Plex says have been two years within the making.
Initially supplied as a preview on cell units, Plex’s new interface consists of redesigned navigation that makes it simpler to discover the totally different components of Plex’s service. As an alternative of hamburger menus (the three-line menus that conceal navigation), Plex’s replace gives a return to tabbed navigation with buttons on the backside of the display screen, which tends to work higher on cell.
Right here, customers can transfer between their media library, Stay TV channels (ad-supported streams), On Demand streams, and extra. There are additionally buttons for a Discovery part and a personalised residence web page that may level you to content material you might wish to proceed watching.
Individuals who proceed to make use of Plex to handle their residence libraries will respect that they’ll have a devoted button that centralizes entry to this function. They’ll additionally be capable to favourite libraries to customise the expertise to their wants.
Your Plex Watchlist, the place you observe the reveals and flicks you wish to see, has been given a extra outstanding spot within the prime navigation for quicker entry, as Plex says extra folks have begun to make use of this function over time.
Different modifications within the new launch embody a reorganization of these areas the place you entry your private particulars like your profile, watch historical past, buddies, and streaming providers, which are actually all accessible in a single place.
The up to date app has expanded its use of visible imagery, too. Plex says this will likely be notably noticeable within the film and present element pages, plus forged and crew profiles, and customers’ personal Plex profile pages. Title art work for films and reveals has additionally been added, in response to consumer suggestions.
Plex notes the redesign isn’t all floor degree — it’s rewritten its apps underneath the hood and streamlined its codebase as part of this course of. Now that the codebase is unified, the workforce will be capable to launch new options throughout all supported platforms shortly, rushing up the event cycle.
Nonetheless, the redesign is first rolling out to cell units in an “early-access preview” as a result of Plex desires to check the expertise with customers and get their suggestions earlier than increasing it throughout all units. A number of options, together with playlists and forged help, are additionally nonetheless within the works however will likely be added throughout the preview interval. Help for TV platforms will quickly comply with, the corporate says.
