DirecTV UX Update for Satellite Customers Is Its First in Five Years … And Perhaps Its Last

DirecTV, which had around 11.3 million remaining customers across its multiple pay TV platforms as of the end of last year, isn't pushing satellite TV very hard these days.

Visit the company’'s landing page , and it will direct you to DirecTV Stream services “unless you don't have high-speed internet, live in a rural area or just prefer a satellite dish.”

The pay TV company hasn't put a new satellite into orbit in 2019. And it's not even clear as to how many satellite TV customers it has left.

Still, for the first time in five years, the pay TV company — controlled by TPG Capital since AT&T spun it off in 2021 — has upgraded its UX for its satellite customers.

The new design, which is being pushed in a phased rollout starting Wednesday to all Genie and Gemini CPE gadgets in Denver, seems to abide by the now-standard Netflix playbook, with thumbnails, carousels and side navigation.

The UX will include four carousels: “Live TV,” “Continue Watching,” “Discover” and ”Live Sports.”

There also appear to be algorithmic capabilities, with the user’s selected favorites and most-watched channels driving what gets surfaced on the UX most prominently. “Later this year, the user interface will include personalized content curated to the users’ preferred programming,“ DirecTV said.

Additionally, DirecTV redesigned the “Sports Central” submenu destination it rolled out on the satellite UX in 2023.