During NBCUniversal’s annual technology conference, One24, new features were unveiled for the Peacock streaming service ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics in July.
One of the standout additions to Peacock is multiview, allowing subscribers to watch up to four matches concurrently. Many sports enthusiasts consider multiview as a significant advancement in sports streaming technology as it provides a more convenient way to follow multiple games without switching streams constantly.
Additionally, a new interactive feature called “Live Actions” lets fans select preferred events to follow, search for specific athletes, and access other functions to navigate the extensive live coverage of over 5,000 hours for the upcoming Summer Olympics.
Addressing past criticisms from subscribers about Peacock’s Olympic coverage, the streaming service is under pressure to ensure a satisfactory viewing experience this year. The service’s previous misstep during the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, where winners were inadvertently revealed, highlights the importance of a flawless broadcasting experience.
Peacock currently boasts 31 million subscribers as of the fourth quarter of 2023.
Image Credits: Peacock
Two Multiview Options
While YouTube TV and Apple also offer multiview features, Peacock distinguishes itself as the first standalone streaming service to provide web support for multiview. YouTube TV introduced a similar feature limited to smart TVs last year, and in May 2023, Apple started offering multiview on Apple TV 4K for specific sports content.
Peacock aims to excel among its competitors by offering two multiview choices: “Discovery Multiview,” displaying a four-screen overview of live events, and a traditional multiview experience allowing viewers to select four matches to watch simultaneously, available for sports like soccer, wrestling, and track and field with multiple streams. Both options are customizable, enabling viewers to move screens and switch audio feeds seamlessly.
Given that up to 40 Olympic events may run concurrently, this feature assists viewers in identifying the most crucial events through tags and descriptions. Details such as first-time Olympians, defending champions, and potential eliminations are highlighted to enhance the viewing experience.
John Jelley, Peacock’s SVP of Product, stated, “With up to 40 events simultaneously, we want to prevent decision paralysis. Peacock Discovery Multiview is the ideal option for fans seeking guidance through the Olympic Games.”
Peacock’s multiview feature is accessible on the web, smart TVs, streaming devices, and tablets. The service clarified that multiview won’t be extended to mobile devices due to challenges in navigation caused by the smaller screen size.
Jelley added, “The decision regarding mobile stems from screen size limitations. We’ve observed that mobile multiview doesn’t offer an optimal viewing experience. It’s available on tablets for viewers wanting a portable option, in addition to all other platforms.”
According to 9to5Google, YouTube TV will soon introduce support for iOS devices, though likely not as advanced as the TV version.
Peacock plans to initiate multiview testing during specific events this spring.
Image Credits: Peacock
Aside from multiview, Peacock’s “Live Actions” feature prompts fans to select a “Keep Watching” button for live coverage continuation or switch to whip-around coverage. Events can also be saved to the “My Stuff” list for later viewing.
A new “Search by Star Athlete” tool allows viewers to refine searches by favorite athletes, a feature previously limited to sport, event, team, and country searches.
Expanding its “Catch Up with Key Plays” functionality to basketball, golf, and soccer, Peacock enables viewers to watch game highlights for quick catch-up without leaving the main screen. Initially launched for Premier League games, the feature will be extended to other live sporting events post-Olympics.
