With so much entertainment available at your fingertips, sifting through it all can be time-consuming. Fire TV is upgrading its live channel guide to organize content better so users can find what they want to watch when they want to watch it.
The upgrades give the Fire TV’s built-in program guide, which lists live TV and integrates streaming services and apps, a more traditional channel browsing experience. That makes it easier to figure out what you want to watch at a time when we’re overwhelmed by so much content.
The upgrade adds filter options to the channels list, such as Recents, which displays the networks you last watched. The live TV “On Now” menu expands to show more channels at once, starting with those you’ve recently viewed. It’ll pop up on the right side of your screen so you can keep watching the current channel while scrolling for your next selection, according to AFTV News.
The update also cements your Favorites list to the top of the screen, meaning you can scroll freely without losing sight of those top channels. Instead of switching pages, all the filter options stay visible across the top of the guide, making exploring what’s available as you search simpler. The filter bar includes all your streaming platforms and channels, so switching between them is more convenient. Jump from live TV to Prime Video to Netflix by navigating the new search filters. Your favorite channels in each app will appear at the top of the list.
The feature is debuting on Panasonic Fire TV Smart TVs. While Amazon was not immediately available for comment, changes to the guide will be “backported to other Fire TV models,” according to AFTV News. Amazon has yet to confirm when the software updates will launch and if Fire TV Sticks and Cubes will be included.
Fire TV already lets users nix channels and services they don’t use from search results. By adding the filter options, users can settle in for movie night faster than ever.