EE to provide new features for EE TV including ‘Fetch’ that allows users to bring TV content to their mobile devices
UK mobile operator, EE, has released updates to its TV offering that remains the country’s first mobile-only TV service.
Updated features of the service, which will be released on 25 August, allow users to more easily find, record and watch content, while new app features include Companion Screen and social sharing, all of which the operator said were designed to deliver a more personalised TV experience controlled through a user’s phone or tablet.
EE, which is in the process of being acquired by UK telecoms business, BT, pointed to the new ‘Fetch’ feature. EE said one of the most popular features of EE TV, which originally launched on 6 November 2014, is the Flick function that allows users to send content from their mobile device to their TV with a swipe of a finger. Flick is now being updated with Fetch, that enables customers to bring content from the main TV screen directly onto their mobile device.
Users can also now view all content stored on their mobile device via the EE TV app, using the new My Photos & Videos feature. They can then use Flick to send that content straight to their TV for viewing on the big screen.
Meanwhile, the new Companion Screen feature available via the app gives customers control of the show they are watching, as well as providing a variety of additional information on the second screen. And the app now includes a Share button via the Companion Screen that allows users to share details of what they are watching through a range of social media.
The latest update also includes improvements to navigation on mobile devices, as well as delivering powerful search capability on both the set top box and the app, making it easier to find specific programmes across a range of live, future and recorded content, with results collated in one place.
EE TV will also be offering new content applications in September to complement its existing mix of live and recorded free channels, on demand and catch up services. These include MUBI, which offers cult, classic, and award-winning films from around the world for just £4.99 a month, including Superbad, The September Issue, Half Nelson, Moon and Lost in Translation, which will be available to watch from September onwards for 30 days. Plus EE TV customers can try MUBI for one month for free.
EE TV customers will also soon be able to access a huge range of international and foreign language TV apps, many of which are free, including France 24, Cinefun TV, Brazil TV and CaribBe TV.
Simeon Bird, director of home broadband and TV, EE said: “EE TV received outstanding reviews at launch, however we will continue to use our unrivalled knowledge of mobile behaviour in order to update and enhance the service over time The new EE TV features take the personalisation capability that all smartphone and tablet owners are familiar with, and incorporates it to create what we believe is the best multi-screen TV service available today.”
With BT poised to acquire the company in a £12.5 billion deal, EE has stated its investment in network differentiation and operational efficiency have delivered record margin in the first half of 2015, with 4G customer growth helping to maintain its market leadership in mobile service revenue. The company has had a return to growth in operating revenue; EE experienced second quarter operating revenue growth of plus 0.1% year on year, and up 2.2% year on year, excluding regulatory impact, to £1,506 million, demonstrating the success of its 4G strategy EE claimed.
