Apple TV+ Watchlist
Effortlessly curate your viewing experience with improved organization and enhanced discoverability.
Focus
New Functionality
Industry
Tech & Entertainment
Streaming Services
Timeline
December 2023
12 days
Process
Sole Contributor - Discovery, Research, Design, Testing, Delivery
Problem
Users lack a dedicated space to curate shows and movies they intend to watch later, leading to a cluttered viewing experience and difficulty in content management.
Goal
Develop a watchlist feature that addresses user needs for personalized content management and efficient discovery. This feature should provide a clear way for users to save and prioritize shows and movies for future viewing, separated from in progress shows in the 'Up Next' queue.
The Why
After completing the Apple TV+ for Kids project, I was looking for another similar project in the entertainment area. Inspired by that project, I started researching other streaming services, including Apple TV+ itself, to identify further opportunities for design improvements. I quickly discovered a glaring omission in Apple TV+'s feature set: a dedicated Watchlist.
I dug a little deeper and found tons of App Store reviews from people complaining about the lack of a Watchlist. It was clear that users felt this was a missing piece of the puzzle. Knowing that a Watchlist was a standard feature in the streaming world, and seeing how much users wanted it, I felt confident that designing one for Apple TV+ would be a valuable project.
Background
Apple TV+ users have voiced a clear desire for a dedicated content curation space, as evidenced by numerous App Store reviews. The current 'Up Next' feature on the Apple TV+ homepage bundles various content types together – recently watched, recently added, and past streamed content – making it difficult to sift through content. A 2022 study by Hubspot found that 74% of streaming users utilize watchlists. A dedicated Watchlist would bring Apple TV+ in line with user expectations and industry standards.
Below: An interstitial introducing the new Watchlist feature.
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Challenges
To ensure the Watchlist feature seamlessly integrated with the Apple TV+ platform and effectively addressed user needs, I focused on these key challenges:
Challenge 1
Seamless Integration and Intuitive Interaction: Integrating the Watchlist naturally into the Apple TV+ app, ensuring smooth interactions for adding, removing, and managing content.
Challenge 2
Visual Cohesion and Brand Consistency: Designing the Watchlist interface to align with Apple TV+'s aesthetic, leveraging Apple's design system components and visual language.
Challenge 3
Effective Content Organization: Determining the optimal level of detail to display within the Watchlist, considering its placement, alternative locations, and ease of content access.
View Prototypes →
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A 2023 Nielsen report revealed that 63% of users add watchlist content to plan their viewing, while 50% use them to remember what they want to watch later, highlighting practicality.
Above: Adding shows and movies to your Watchlist is easy. The "Add to" icon, previously used for "Continue Watching," now adds content directly to the Watchlist.
Below: The Watchlist, accessible from the Apple TV+ Home screen, provides options to start watching, share, or remove content.
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Below: A push notification alerts the user that a show they added to their Watchlist has premiered.
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Deliverables
Apple TV+ Watchlist addresses basic user needs by offering clear organization, personalized recommendations, and an intuitive Apple experience. A/B testing confirmed the Watchlist placement over previous iterations and testers felt that it was clearly distinguishable from ‘Up Next’, while still utilizing that queue. The watchlist was easy to discover and navigate with clear add/remove interactions.
It's important to note Apple launched their own Watchlist in October 2024.
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Above: Various versions of the Apple TV+ widget notify users that a show on their Watchlist has premiered.
Below: Faster access to your Watchlist through your Library, making it easier to keep track of favorite shows and movies.
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Conclusion
This case study focused on designing the core functionalities of a Watchlist feature for Apple TV+, addressing a significant gap in its current offerings. However, the possibilities for enhancing this feature extend far beyond the initial design. Future iterations could explore exciting additions such as:
Smart Recommendations: The Watchlist will eventually offer personalized recommendations based on your saved content.
Social Features: In the future, you might be able to share your Watchlist with friends or family, sparking conversations and recommendations.
Prioritization: Allow users to prioritize items on their watchlist by assigning them a viewing order (e.g., 1, 2, 3).
Watchlist Analytics: Provide users with insights into their viewing habits, such as their most-added genres or content creators.
By laying the groundwork for these future enhancements, this project not only addresses a current need but also paves the way for a more engaging and personalized Apple TV+ experience.
View Prototypes →
Case Study
