The best streaming app of 2022
In the past few years, the streaming world has quickly evolved, it has gone from a single super app (Netflix) into a milliard of services for every niche. But not all the apps are created equal. The goal of this review is not to analyze the content itself but rather the app design and execution.
Contenders: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, AppleTV+, Paramount+, Hulu, Peacock, and HBO Max.
Platforms: iPadOS and TVOS
Criteria:
Content Selection (50%)
- Content Search and Selection (25%)
- Resume / Continue watching (25%)
In-content Experience (50%)
- Main controls (35%)
- Intelligent features (15%)
Content Selection
Search & Selection
Most of the contenders offer a similar set of features in terms of search and selection, but there are a few standouts.
In terms of search Netflix outshines the competition. Its search algorithm not only searches for content in the platform, but if the searched content is not available, it offers alternatives you might like; most apps show no results.
On the other hand, Amazon Prime Video is lacking in terms of search. For some odd reason (probably from mixing “free” and for-purchase content) search results for TV shows are split by seasons making the experience less than ideal.
When it comes to content selection Netflix is king once again, alongside Amazon Prime Video. These apps stand out because it is easy to navigate to the show pages from shows you are currently watching. This is something that requires more steps in Peacock Hulu, and Paramount+. Disney+ and HBO Max offer a direct way to access the show page, but it is through a small and unintuitive touch target.
On the other end of the spectrum is AppleTV+. Not only does this app not offer a straightforward way to navigate to show pages of shows that you are currently watching, but general content discovery is terrible. The ‘originals’ tab is busy with no real sense of direction. It does not offer recommendations, it does not filter-out TV shows that you are already watching, making it a nightmare to find the next AppleTV+ show to watch.
Points
Netflix 25
HBO Max 19
Disney+ 19
Amazon Prime Video 18
Paramount+ 18
Hulu 18
Peacock 18
AppleTV+ 15
Resume/Continue Watching
One of the main functions that a streaming app must perform is to resume unfinished content or to continue to the next episode. Most of the apps offer a row near the top with all your recently watched shows that are either unfinished or have a new episode. Additionally, the best apps offer a way to manage it.
Unexpectedly AppleTV+ outperforms the competition in this category. Not only does AppleTV+ have the row on the top, but it also offers the most comprehensive management tools; it stands out because of the “mark as completed” option. While other apps that do this well, such as Amazon Prime Video, allow you to remove content from the row.
Some of the other services fail with the easiest of tasks, offering a quick and easily reachable continue watching row. Disney+ and Hulu have the continue watching segment a few rows down. While Netflix’s experience depends on how the algorithm is feeling that day. Sometimes the continue watching row is at the top, other times you must scroll down to find it.
Another way that apps fail with this task is by not offering a way to manage your continue watching row. Some apps such as HBO Max and Peacock have the tools, but these are hidden in a new screen. The worst offenders are Disney+ and Paramount+ which offer no method to manage this row. So, some of the shows or movies that you start and watch for a single minute, linger around for a long time.
Points
AppleTV+ 25
Amazon Prime Video 20
Hulu 18
HBO Max 18
Netflix 18
Peacock 18
Paramount+ 13
Disney+ 8
Content Selection Summary
Netflix 43
AppleTV+ 40
Amazon Prime Video 38
HBO Max 37
Hulu 36
Peacock 36
Paramount+ 31
Disney+ 27
In-Content Experience
Main Controls
The other area of importance for a streaming app is the actual viewing experience. Most of the apps get the basics right. They offer basic controls such as play, move forward/backward, and access to audio and subtitle options. But some go the extra mile to provide a better viewing experience.
Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are the top contenders. These apps offer additional features such as information on the current episode or movie you are watching (name, season, episode number), and a button to skip to the next episode. Additionally, Netflix stands out by offering brightness and volume controls on-screen (iPad), while Amazon with its X-ray feature provides deeper information (bios, filmography, trivia, and more), something that no other service does. All the other apps lack a feature or two but stand on similar ground.
On touch devices, such as an iPad, the experience does differ. Some services take advantage of the touch screen to offer controls with larger touch targets and double-tap shortcuts. Some offer a double-tap to move forward (Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and Paramount+), while others offer a double-tap to zoom (Amazon Video Prime and Apple TV+), with just HBO Max and Peacock not taking advantage of this.
But the app that offers a clear inferior experience is AppleTV+. Not only does it not have in-content information such as episode name and number, but its iPad experience leaves a lot to be desired. Being the platform owner and not offering large touch target buttons on the iPad, makes it feel like this app is an afterthought for Apple.
Points
Netflix 32
Amazon Prime 30
Disney 26
Paramount 26
Peacock 24
Hulu 23
HBO Max 21
AppleTV 18
Intelligent Features
The skip button is a small and simple feature that has a significant impact on the viewing experience. Even though it might feel insignificant, having this button pop up and allow you to skip a recap, a 2-minute intro, or advance to the next episode without watching the credits, takes the binging experience to the next level.
Most contenders offer a good skip button experience (Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, and Peacock). But this is something that you truly notice when it is poorly executed. Hulu and Paramount+ have the buttons, but these are unreliable, sometimes the skip intro button pops up, and other times you must fast-forward manually.
Both Disney+ and AppleTV+ offer these buttons, and even though it is a bit more reliable than Hulu and Paramount+, if you do not catch the button at the proper time, you must skip them manually.
Points
HBO Max 15
Netflix 15
Amazon 15
Peacock 15
Disney 8
Paramount 8
Apple 5
Hulu 5
In-Content Experience Summary
Netflix 47
Amazon Prime 45
Peacock 39
HBO Max 36
Disney 34
Paramount 34
Hulu 28
AppleTV 23
Summary
If this analysis confirms something, is that Netflix is the king of the hill, it is in a league of its own, its years of experience in the market show.
But it is a bit sad to think that all the latecomers with huge budgets are not able to execute a reliable app and simply copy the features of the established leader.
Amazon Prime does an excellent job in most categories, but its search experience leaves a lot to be desired.
HBO Max and Peacock stand in the middle. They offer a middle-of-the-road experience in terms of selection and in-content experience.
The last group is all bunched up together and has a lot of low-hanging fruit to significantly improve their apps. Paramount+ and Disney+ are in this group due to their content selection experience, adding controls to the continue watching row can go a long way. On the other hand, Hulu and AppleTV+ are at the bottom because of their in-content experience. AppleTV+ could offer more info about the content and larger touch controls for the iPad. While Hulu could improve the reliability of the skip functionality and add larger touch targets to the iPad version.
Total Score
Netflix 90
Amazon Prime Video 83
Peacock 75
HBO Max 73
Paramount+ 65
Hulu 64
AppleTV+ 63
Disney+ 61
