Freeview rivals Sky Q with blockbuster free upgrade coming to millions of TVs

Sky might have won every award going for its market-leading Q box but Freeview is fighting back with an upgrade that will make it much easier for millions of homes to watch TV. The free-to-view service has just announced a blockbuster update to its online Explore Freeview Play streaming app which includes a new recommendations section and a dedicated area that’s just for the very best Box Sets.

Sky has long offered its users recommendations based on viewing habits and its Q box has a dedicated Box Sets section so it’s nice to see something similar coming to Freeview. There’s another bonus of this upcoming change with Freeview saying that its upgrade also makes finding things to watch far more straightforward thanks to new Search and Recommendation tools.

These allow viewers easy access via a carousel of Freeview’s hand-picked recommendations from across its player lineup with Comedy, Drama, Soaps, Entertainment and Movies all served up without scrolling through endless menus. Users will also be able to curate their own watch lists via a new My Shows feature.

Along with new features, the Freeview update also brings a Sky-style look to TVs which features a dark background, and more prominent imagery to better showcase the content available. From the images supplied by the firm, see below, it certainly appears more visually appealing.

READ MORE: Freeview says that this upgrade also makes finding things to watch far more simple

Speaking about the update, Owen Jenkinson from Freeview Play said: “We are continually evolving and adding new free features so we can provide excellent value to consumers. With the Women’s Euro and the Love Island final just days away, millions of us will soon be searching for our next TV obsession and these latest updates to Freeview Play will be on hand to help.”

Fancy giving it a go? Viewers can find Explore Freeview Play on Channel 100 on their Freeview Play TVs with the update expected to rollout over the coming days.

What is Freeview Play?

Launched in late 2015, Freeview Play provides UK viewers with a seamless combination of live, catch-up, and on-demand content all in one place for no monthly cost. Having sold over 13 million devices since launch, it is now the UK’s fastest-growing TV platform.

How Can I Get Freeview Play?

Most TVs have Freeview Play built-in, with over a thousand Freeview Play models to choose from, including AndroidTV, Amazon Fire, LG, Panasonic, Sony, JVC, Humax, Hisense and Hitachi. However, if viewers don’t want to invest in a brand-new TV, they can upgrade any existing TV with a Freeview Play set-top box, with prices starting at £70.