In September, we reported how Roku was testing a new home screen beta with folders, more icons, Continue Watching, and more thanks to tips from our readers. So, what is Roku changing with the home screen, and when can you expect it to come to you? Today, we are going to look at that and more.
Not everyone has these new features, because Roku is slowly testing them. Here is what they are testing.
The New Look of Roku’s Home Screen
Roku is still testing a new home screen for select Roku owners. One of the features you will find on Roku’s home screen, other than the new 4×4 look, is a new Continue Watching row.
The new 4×4 look lets you see more streaming services on your home screen without scrolling down. The only downside is these new icons are smaller.
The new Continue Watching row will let you jump directly into shows you have been watching on supported services like Disney+. From there you can also open a What to Watch section that will show shows you have been watching and suggest shows you should watch. The Continue Watching row seems to be rolling out to more beta testers recently.
You will also find folders for things like inputs on Roku TVs. Now all your inputs for different HDMI ports are in a folder to keep them in one spot.
One of the new updates this week is the ability to select 3×3 or 4×4 app layout in the Roku home screen settings. To see if you are a part of this beta test, go to your Settings and select the Home Screen option. There you should find a new tile size option for some Roku owners. This will let you pick the smaller 4×4 look or the larger 3×3 tile look.
In this Home Screen area of Settings, you will also find options to turn off some of the new areas like Continue Watching.
Here is what the new home screen looks like on our Roku:
Here is what the old Roku home screen looked like:
As you can see, the two are similar, but you get slightly smaller icons now in a 4×4 look instead of a 3×3 look. This allows you to easily see all the services you have on your Roku. As TVs get bigger, this new interface will help make it easy to find what you want.
Roku has confirmed to Cord Cutters News that they are testing designs on their platform. They declined to comment more than to say they are testing new features. Now just because Roku is testing this new 4×4 interface and folders does not mean they will be rolled out to all Roku owners in the future. It is a sign that Roku is considering all options when it comes to the future of Roku home screens.
Content Discovery
Roku has also been testing and officially rolling out new ways to discover content on your home screen. Now you will find suggested categories of content like Food and Sports. Clicking on these categories will give you suggestions of what you should watch. Roku has already officially rolled out many of these but seems to be testing other categories to suggest to Roku owners.
Do you have this new user interface? Let us know what you think of it and any other new features you have noticed.
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