Hulu today launched a much-requested redesign of its interface for live TV programs on a few select platforms. The updated interface is now available on on the web, Roku devices and Apple TV. Earlier this summer, the company unveiled a revamped Live Guide strictly for desktop. The streaming service is working on bringing the new Live Guide to other devices that support Hulu Live TV in the near future.
With this latest update, the team at Hulu was given the challenge of coming up with a design that could show viewers the full selection of hundreds of different programs and TV channels, but not bog down an otherwise simple interface. In order to accomplish this, the team veered away from CSS grid layouts and instead stacked programs from left to right, with each 30-minute time-block receiving a fixed-width column.
Viewers will also find some new features for navigation. A new sidebar offers quick access to channels by category, such as sports, movies, kids and favorite channels. They’ll also be able to see which shows will air in the future. Episodes that are currently airing will also display how many minutes they have left. All told, the rehauled Live Guide should make finding TV shows and movies an easier task. If not, viewers can relay concerns on Hulu’s user feedback forums.
