Latest Fubo Roku App Update Improves Guide, Adds Return To Previous Channel

Fubo is now in the process of rolling out a new update to its Roku app that’s designed to fix a number of issues users have with the new UI. The app update also adds back the option to return to the previous channel. 

Over the past few months, Fubo has slowly been rolling out updates to its apps, introducing a new look, design and user experience in the process. However, the update hasn’t been without its problems and Fubo has been rolling out additional updates to help smooth over some of the issues. 

The new Roku Fubo app update arrives as version 5.1 and, according to the announcement post by Fubo’s Mike Berkley, the new version looks to fix a number of the issues introduced with September’s release of version 5.0. Specifically, the update looks to improve Guide and Video Player functionality. 

What is probably one of the most useful improvements from the user perspective is the ability to now return to the previous channel by pressing (and holding) the Back button on the remote. This feature was recently added to the Android TV and Google TV apps as well. 

Here’s the full confirmed list of changes included with the 5.1 update. 

• Video Player
  • You can return to the Previous Channel by press-and-holding the Back button on the remote.
  • When you click the down arrow to browse channels while watching, the currently playing channel will be displayed first.
  • Channels will load faster now, and there will be less re-buffering (ie, video pauses).
  • We’ve improved some of the seeking functionality.
• Guide
  • You can now scroll between days (ie, past midnight) without the need to use the Browse by date button.
  • You can use the FF/RW controls to page through the guide faster.
  • When focused in the Channels column (far left column) these buttons will page up and down the guide.
  • When focused on any Program cell, these buttons will page left and right on the timeline.
  • The Back button on the remote control will jump you to the Channels column from any of the Program cells.
  • The Replay button on the remote will now jump you back to the current time.
  • The guide now automatically advances to the next day after midnight.
  • We’ve also made a bunch of visual improvements to the guide.
• Miscellaneous
  • The app will load faster, and we made other performance improvements throughout the app.
  • Some missing translations are now fixed for our Latino plan customers.

For users that have yet to receive version 5.0 on their Roku device, the delay is intentional. Berkley explained that Fubo is taking a slow approach to releasing the new UI update and it is still in the process of rolling out to all Roku users.

While not confirmed, we would expect those that have yet to receive the 5.0 update to be able to jump straight to 5.1 when the update becomes available for their device.