I really wanted to like Sling TV when I tested it out a few months back. The price certainly had me hooked — $30 for live streaming of the only channels I cared about (news). But the apps were, uhh… well, they were not great. This held true across multiple platforms, whether I was on an iPhone, an iPad, an Xbox, or just watching with a browser. The app experience could’ve been better.
(Also, why does Sling TV cut off the ends and beginnings when a show changes? YouTube TV is just one continuous stream. That part was annoying, too.)
Anyway, it sounds like Sling TV heard from enough people that its apps weren’t up to snuff, as the service just announced a new Sling app that’ll first make its way to Amazon Fire TV before eventually rolling out elsewhere in the coming months.
Here’s a bit of the press release Sling put out.
“Our goal with the new app is clear: to make our customer experience as compelling as the extraordinary live content we deliver. 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,” said Michael Schwimmer, group president, SLING TV. “SLING TV has always been a leader in the industry known for innovation and value. With our new app, customers will know SLING TV as a first class streaming experience.”
On the list of improvements: a new home screen; a “reimagined guide”; a new DVR tab to make using that a bit easier; an “enhanced video experience” that lets users “pause, rewind, fast-forward and record live TV” (maybe this will fix that cut-off issue I mentioned above); better navigation; better search; and more efficient ways of browsing Sling’s on-demand shows and movies.
What am I thinking at this moment? It’s a shame the new app will only be available on Amazon’s Fire TV platform to start. I’m still eager to give it a shot, though, once it comes to something I actually own.
We’ll keep an eye out for more news on when this upgraded Sling app might hit other platforms. As soon as we know, you will too.
