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Vevo wants to be the new MTV with its refined tvOS app

Vevo wants to be the new MTV with its refined tvOS app

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Vevo, the music video service most easily recognized for its presence on YouTube, is putting more faith and resources into TV. The company is today releasing a refined app for tvOS, designed to improve on its recent efforts to offer personalized music videos and original content to its users. The move comes as the service sees rapid growth on television as compared to desktop and even mobile.

Vevo’s redesigned tvOS is an evolution of the app the company debuted last year, fully in keeping with the spirit of iteration that has guided its other efforts. With this release, the app surfaces more artist content, including music videos (obviously), as well as the original shows like its Vevo Presents live performance series. In addition, the app continues to learn from the user and offer curated playlists according to their taste. Finally, Vevo’s new turntable.fm-esque Watch Party feature will eventually make its way to the new app, though it’s not clear when.

TV is growing faster than desktop and mobile for Vevo

The increased emphasis on TV is definitely warranted. Across all its platforms, including its mobile, desktop, YouTube, and connected TVs, Vevo sees 23 billion video views per month. However, TV is the fastest growing platform for the service. According to the Vevo, the company saw a 58 percent increase in viewership on television between Q1 of 2016 and Q1 of 2017, and two billion video views for two consecutive months. More than that, TV users tend to stick around for roughly 80-minute sessions of just music videos. Taken together, Vevo thinks it has an opportunity to move its 450 million user base over to its bespoke TV apps in a big way.

Vevo’s new tvOS app will roll out to the App Store tomorrow. Apps for Roku, FireTV, PS4, Samsung TVs, Xbox One will roll out in the months ahead.