Hang in there, DirecTV Now users, cloud DVR is finally on its way.
Addressing a major omission from its DirecTV Now offering, AT&T says an upgraded platform will finally bring cloud DVR capabilities to the streaming service.
According a Thursday release from the carrier, beta tests of the new platform are set to kick off this summer with general rollouts to DirecTV and DirecTV Now customers expected in the fall.
AT&T says the platform update will initially include a cloud DVR feature to allow customers to record shows and access them anywhere, a change that will bring DirecTV Now in line with vMVPD competitors like Sling TV and Sony Playstation Vue. It also reports the platform will feature a new user-friendly interface that will help customers sort through a selection of 30,000 on-demand titles offered in both 4K and HD.
The new look and feel will span all viewing devices from TV to touchscreen, the carrier adds.
“We all want easy and quick access to our content, regardless of where, when, or on what device we watch it,” AT&T Entertainment Group CMO David Christopher, comments. “By developing for a single video platform, we’ll deliver new features and platform innovations in a faster, more efficient way. And it will be simple and consistent wherever you watch—TV, phone, or tablet.”
While cloud DVR will be the first change to hit DirecTV Now, additional features, like live TV pausing and parental controls, are expected to follow once the platform comes out of beta this year. More tweaks, like the addition of user profiles, a “download and go” feature, and 4K HDR compatibility are planned for next year, AT&T says.
Participation in the beta is by invitation only, AT&T notes.
The carrier said the platform shift is part of its bid to become a more software-focused company. But the changes also come as AT&T looks to give DirecTV Now another boost after Bloomberg reported the service saw flat growth in March.
DirecTV Now’s launch was plagued by reports of outages, errors, app crashes, and log-in issues, leaving some users with a bad taste in their mouth. But AT&T said back in January it was “continuously updating” the app to improve user experience.
AT&T lost some 233,000 IPTV video subs in the first quarter of 2017, and total video subscribers across both U-verse and DirecTV declined from 25.3 million in the first quarter last year to just 25 million in the most recent period. But AT&T CFO John Stevens said at the time that DirecTV Now remained “an important part of our strategy and continues to add customers.”
