Personalized profiles, content filtering, and parental controls create a dedicated kids' streaming space.
Focus
New Functionality
Industry
Tech & Entertainment Streaming Services
Timeline
October 2023 15 days
Process
Sole Contributor - Discovery, Research, Design, Testing, Delivery
Problem
Apple TV+ lacks a dedicated profile option for younger viewers. Families need a convenient and manageable viewing experience for kids as young as four when streaming.
Goal
Design a secure and manageable kids' profile option within the Apple TV+ platform. This feature should prioritize content management for families by offering filtering by rating, content curation, personalization, and peace of mind for parents and households.
Background
Apple TV+ is a subscription-based streaming service offered by Apple Inc. It provides access to a growing library of original TV shows and movies. Their extensive library of content spans various genres, including drama, comedy, documentaries, and children's programming. Apple TV+ has been steadily growing since 2019 and even announced a number of partnerships, bundles, and initiatives to increase subscriber growth in the service.
The Why
I use a lot of streaming services, and it seems like almost all of them have Kids profiles these days. It's a handy feature that lets parents make sure their kids only see age-appropriate stuff. But when I looked at Apple TV+, I was surprised to see they didn't have anything like that, even though they have tons of kids' shows and movies.
That got me thinking. The Dribbble brief I was working on was all about making things easier for families, and it struck me that Apple TV+ was missing out on something really important. So, I decided to tackle that and design a Kids profile feature for them, bringing them up to speed with what other streaming services are doing.
Below: A promotional design announcing the Kids profile feature, displayed prominently on the Home page.
No items found.
Challenges
Designing a comprehensive Kids profile experience required careful consideration of several key goals:
Challenge 1
Maintaining consistency with Apple's design system is crucial for a cohesive and intuitive user experience. This involves thoroughly analyzing existing design patterns, UI elements, and interactions.
Challenge 2
Creating a positive experience for both children and parents requires a nuanced approach. This involves researching the specific needs and preferences of each user group, considering factors such as navigation and parental control.
Challenge 3
The Kids profile should not only be functional but also enhance the overall Apple TV+ brand experience. This involves testing and iterating on the design to ensure it aligns with Apple's brand values and strengthens its value proposition for families.
Below: The Account Owner's profile hub, now with the added functionality to switch profiles and manage Kids profiles. The 'Switch TV+ Profiles' option will be hidden if no Kids profiles have been created.
No items found.
Above: The Kids Profile landing page, displaying two existing profiles and the option to create additional profiles. While currently showing a maximum of four Kids profiles, the design can support up to ten.
Below: The process of creating a Kids profile, from start to finish. First, enter the child's name and birthday. Then, select the Maturity Rating and set a Parental Controls lock (passcodes are optional but recommended).
No items found.
Below: Kids can personalize their profiles with a pre-made avatar from popular television or select from their own photos. Also shown is the full profile view, where parents can manage settings like the passcode and profile deletion.
No items found.
Deliverables
This case study focused on designing the core functionalities of a Kids profile feature for Apple TV+, aiming to provide a safe and engaging viewing experience for children while offering parents greater control and peace of mind. The key deliverables included:
Content Filtering: This feature allows parents to restrict access to content based on age ratings (e.g., 2-4, 4-6, 6-10, 10-12) or pre-defined categories (e.g., educational, animated). This ensures that children are only exposed to age-appropriate content.
PIN Protection: A PIN code is required to switch out of the Kids profile, preventing unsupervised access to content outside the designated age range. This adds a layer of security and control for parents.
Profile Personalization: Both parent and Kids profiles can be personalized with avatars, providing a basic level of customization that is common in other streaming services.
In addition to these core features, I explored potential enhancements that could be implemented in future iterations, such as viewing time limits, curated content lists, personalized themes, and personalized recommendations. These additions would further enhance the user experience and provide greater flexibility and control for families.
Below: Parents and kids can seamlessly switch between profiles on Apple TV+. The "Switch Profiles" option is easy to find on the "Kids & Family" home screen, so everyone can enjoy their own personalized experience.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
Conclusion
Above: The Apple TV+ Watchlist in Kids mode, where kids can quickly access what they want to watch next. See Apple TV+ Watchlist.
Apple TV+, by offering these functionalities, has the potential to improve user satisfaction within families or single parents. Parental trust in the platform as a safe space for children's entertainment could be enhanced, potentially attracting new family subscribers seeking a curated streaming experience.
If I had more time and resources, I would have liked to explore how I could go about formulating a plan to increase subscribers and boost interactions. Gathering even more feedback from kids and parents would validate the design effectiveness and even identify the kind of content that would be produced next.