COVER FEATURE

BEST NEW TV APPS

Don’t limit your viewing to the same old broadcasters and streaming services. Robert Irvine recommends 22 new and updated TV apps to enhance your entertainment

TV-streaming services have now overtaken traditional television in popularity in the US, Canada and Germany – and the UK isn’t far behind. Recent research by Ofcom found that only 56 per cent of us still watch TV as it’s broadcast, and that YouTube now has more viewers than ITV, with more of us watching it on our TVs (www.snipca. com/56211).

Although there are plenty of services to choose from, most of us tend to use the apps that came installed on our smart TVs, streaming sticks and set-top boxes. That’s a shame because lots of great TV apps are launched every year, which are easy to install from your device’s app store.

These apps often offer programmes and films you won’t find elsewhere, either ‘live’ (on a schedule), on-demand or both. Some services even provide their content for free on FAST channels, if you don’t mind sitting through ads – which you already do on non-BBC terrestrial channels. However, because they don’t appear on your TV’s home screen, you may not realise they exist, which means you’re missing out on some top-quality entertainment.

Here, we recommend the best new and updated TV apps from the past year, and new channels you can watch without an aerial. They bring you classic British TV shows, Hollywood films, sporting highlights, local radio and more, as well as practical benefits, like viewing the weather forecast.

WHAT THE LOGOS MEAN

We’ve used company logos to indicate which smart TVs and streaming sticks the apps we’ve recommended are available on. We’ve provided links to the apps’ websites, but the quickest way to install them is to search the app store on your device.

Amazon Fire TV sticks, Fire TV Cube and Fire TV sets

Android TV or Google TV, including TVs from Sony, Panasonic and Philips; ‘Chromecast with Google TV’ and Google TV Streamer

Apple TV set-top boxes, such as Apple TV 4K

Freely TVs from brands such as Bush, Toshiba and Hisense

LG TVs, which use the company’s WebOS operating system

Roku streaming sticks and TVs, including JVC and TCL models

Samsung TVs, which use the company’s Tizen operating system

Sky Q, Sky Stream and Sky Glass TVs

Virgin Media’s Virgin TV 360 and Virgin Stream

BEST NEW APPS FOR FILMS & TV SHOWS

Tubi

www.snipca.com/56153

Tubi is undoubtedly the biggest and best new streaming service. Launched in the UK last summer, it’s completely free to watch (supported by ads), and its thousands of films and TV shows include recent and acclaimed titles you’ll actually have heard of – unlike most free services.

You don’t even need to create an account to use Tubi, though doing so lets you set up a watchlist and resume viewing where you left off. Its UK movie library is constantly updated and was expanded in June following deals with major studios such as AMC Networks, Lionsgate and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

At the time of writing, Tubi highlights included the Oscar-nominated Foxcatcher (2014), action thriller Angel Has Fallen (2019, pictured above right) and the BBC TV series Robin Hood (2006).

Roku Live TV

www.snipca.com/56154

The Roku Channel on Roku streaming devices offers a selection of free films and TV shows for UK viewers, but it’s rather poor compared with the US version. That’s set to change in October with the introduction of 40 new TV channels, spanning entertainment, lifestyle, classic TV, documentaries and more.

These are FAST (free ad-supported streaming television) channels, which means you’ll need to put up with ads, and are accessible through both the Roku Channel and a new Live TV zone (see screenshot of the US version below).