During NBCUniversal’s annual technology conference, One24, a range of new features coming to the streaming service Peacock ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics in July was revealed.
The highlight among the new features is the multiview option on Peacock, allowing subscribers to watch up to four simultaneous matches at once. This feature has been celebrated by many sports fans as a significant advancement in sports streaming technology, providing a convenient way to follow multiple games without constant switching between streams.
In addition to multiview, Peacock announced an interactive “Live Actions” button, letting fans choose the events they want to follow and a new search feature for specific athletes. These additions aim to help subscribers navigate through over 5,000 hours of live coverage for the upcoming Summer Olympics.
Given past complaints from subscribers about Peacock’s Olympics coverage, it is crucial for the streaming service to provide a satisfactory viewing experience this year. With 31 million subscribers reported as of the fourth quarter of 2023, Peacock is under pressure to deliver a flawless live stream of all Summer Olympic events.
Image Credits: Peacock
Two multiview options
While YouTube TV and Apple also offer multiview features, Peacock is a pioneer by providing web support for multiview. The service will offer two multiview options: “Discovery Multiview” and a traditional multiview experience where viewers can choose which four matches to watch. This feature is especially valuable for Olympic sports with multiple streams happening simultaneously.
Viewers will appreciate the customizable nature of both options, enabling them to move screens and switch between audio feeds seamlessly. With up to 40 Olympic events happening at once, this unique offering helps viewers prioritize which events are most important to them.
Peacock’s multiview feature is available on various platforms, including smart TVs and streaming devices, but not on mobile due to screen size limitations.
Image Credits: Peacock
Alongside multiview, Peacock introduces “Live Actions” feature, allowing fans to choose between continuous live coverage or a whip-around experience. Viewers can also add events to their watchlist for later viewing. The service has also enhanced the search function to enable searching by star athletes and expanded the “Catch Up with Key Plays” feature to more sports genres.
Peacock assures that multiview and Live Actions will continue beyond the Olympics for other live sporting events.
