Outstanding UX&UI changes in streaming platforms

BB Media´s latest UX&UI analysis found that Netflix and Amazon Prime Video were the two streaming platforms with more changes on its interface in recent months in Argentina, out of five others of the most popular streaming platforms: Disney+, Pluto TV, Star+ and Globoplay.  

Netflix has gone through interesting variations of its functions and look & feel in the past year. It was found that Netflix has come up with some original ideas for their content sections: the platform is well known for having content categories with original, fun and appealing names such as ‘From Hollywood to your screen’, ‘Plans for the weekend’, ‘Girls night at home’, ‘Strong women behind the camera’ or ‘To laugh in 30 minutes’. But this year the OTT added a themed filter in the movies section based on Valentine’s Day. This filter was shown as a whole section which contained categories inspired by the month of love, such as ‘Love stories in less than 90 minutes’ and ‘Love from past times’. Besides, the section had an animated original banner, moving away from their traditional banners with their original or exclusive movies and shows, with the title ‘Love is in the air’. Meanwhile in March of 2023, Netflix showed a new filter in the movies section, this time based on International Women’s Day. This filter offered categories that were inspired by the theme, such as ‘Women, their daily life and their world’ and ‘Women who make history’. On this section users could also find an animated original banner, this time with the title ‘Tribute to female diversity’. 

Another modification that Netflix made in the past month on its user experience has been the comedy shorts. This new section had its first appearance in this analysis in July of 2021 on the iOS and Android Smartphone. There, users could watch funny short clips from the content available on the platform. But, at the start of 2023, BB Media discovered that Netflix now also offers these shorts on the info section of some popular contents of the Android Smartphone, besides its own section.

On the second half of 2022, Amazon Prime Video had a very positive and drastic change of its look & feel for the first time in years. The OTT added a variation of new functions, such as the function to zoom in on the content from the player of an Android Smartphone, the possibility to filter content by genres (such as Anime, Comedy, Drama and Romance), posters with the tag ‘Coming Soon’, and playing a teaser trailer when users position themselves on a poster in the main home.

The platform seems to also have a focus on the fans of their content: on Android Smartphones, it was noted on 2022 that Amazon Prime Video now offers an ‘Explore‘ section with the characters’ biographies and trailers of original series, such as ‘The Boys’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’. With this function, users can read the biographies of their favorite characters to keep up with the new seasons. And with the series ‘The Rings of Power’, the section has a themed aesthetic.

Another interesting detail Amazon Prime Video incorporated for its users is that on some original series they can see on the player of the Android Smartphone curious facts that appear in the scenes while the content is being played. 

Both platforms focused their modifications on the devices which are the most popular among users, as are Smartphones: 96,09% of Netflix’s users and 95,68% of Amazon Prime Video’s users navigate the app through this device. 

These two streaming platforms have gone through changes on their interface not only focusing on the user experience as a client of the platform, but on the personal interest of the users for their content, by adding categories for a festive month or days, funny clips of popular series or information for fans on their most used devices.

ABOUT BB MEDIA 

BB Media is a global Data Science company, specializing in Media and Entertainment for over 35 years. BB Media monitors +4,500 streaming services in +250 countries and territories, their prices, plans, packages and commercial offers. In addition, all film and series catalogues, including standard metadata. Streaming services, networks, programmers, cable operators, agencies, advertisers, studios, distributors, content APPs and technology companies rely on BB Media’s information and value-added analysis to make strategic decisions.    

BB Media has offices in USA, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Italy and the Netherlands.

Source:  

BB Media – UX&UI – 2023 

BB Media – New Media Essentials – 1Q23