Kayo Sports has started rolling out a massive overhaul of its mobile and tablet apps. The new design is the first major upgrade since launching in 2018. It’s clearly inspired by social media and it makes sense, given the way we watch sport on a phone.
The home menu offers a faster, easier way to jump into the content you want to watch. This also evident on the fixtures page which has undergone big refresh. The dates and sports choices at the top make it easier to read and launch the action. You’ll notice that swiping and switching between short vertical clips is very natural. Kayo now feels like a native phone or tablet app and not a TV experience crammed into a small screen.
“Our mission has always been to deliver the ultimate sports viewing experience and we know sport on mobile is very different to TV so these new features are a direct reflection of that,” said Foxtel Group’s Executive Director of Product – Streaming Advertising, Tom Blaxland.
“With features like the Moments Player and Stories, users can immerse themselves in highlights, updates, and bite-sized content that keeps them connected to the action anytime, anywhere. Everything is conveniently housed in one place, eliminating the need to jump between apps or websites to catch up on games, explore highlights, or stay updated.”
A great example of the new ‘mobile-first’ design is the integration of vertical video. Quick turnarounds have been made easier with ball tracking automation. The application keeps the ball in the centre of the action so when watching 9×16 rugby league clips, you’re not seeing a vacant part of the frame, if the play happened away from centre frame. The Kayo team told me camera operators don’t take into account vertical video requirements. This would obviously make shooting difficult but it’s important to note that during the transition from Standard Definition to High Definition at the turn of the century, TV networks had to shoot 4×3 safe. That meant shooting the action in the middle of a 16×9 frame to ensure the centre crop had the action in it. I’ll have more to say about this soon.
“We know live sport is just one part of the viewing experience, with fans also eager to consume stats, analysis, highlights, recaps and key moments. This is not just an app update, but a complete reimagining of how fans connect with the sports and
shows they love,” Blaxland added.
STORIES
Short clips in 9×16 vertical video, very much in the style of social media.
Automatic ball tracking software helps to generate these clips so you don’t miss the action.
Just tap the screen to advance to the next clip or swipe up to watch the full game,
MOMENTS PLAYER
The Moments Player has a vast range of on and off field action and antics. You’ll scroll through this one with a smile on your face, just like Super Coach – Wayne Bennett.
LIVE ACTION
The home page has been revamped for quick access to live sport.
Impressive images set up the contest and Watch Live or From Start buttons are right there.
FIXTURES
This is a nice update. A lot clearer across the top and very easy to jump straight into the action.
The app will prompt users to add favourites to improve their personalised recommendations. Overall the app is smarter and will get to know your preferences over time.
The new app will be released to customers gradually over the next month and will be available on iOS and Android tablets and smartphones.
