The NPO Start app has been completely renewed. It’s great that the app is getting this attention, but the result is unfortunate.
NPO Start app update is a drama
I am a big fan of the NPO. They produce great programs and documentaries and the quality of Dutch drama series is improving. It deserves a great streaming service where everyone can watch these series and films.
Instead, we get a new app with a well-thought-out design, a decent dark blue background and clear images to present the series and films. But functionality was clearly not a priority.
Videoland V2
It is a bit reminiscent of that other major Dutch streaming service: Videoland. When that app got a major makeover, users had to download a whole new Videoland V2 app. People were transferred per account, which meant that it differed per user on which devices they could watch, what functions they had and which series they could start. The Play Store reviews were filled with complaints about the move and the app.
If you now look at the reviews of NPO Start, something similar happens: hundreds of 1-star reviews. “I really don’t understand why the NPO doesn’t restore the old app and first complete the new one,” writes M Bracke. “Why didn’t you test it properly?” asks Herke Schuffel.
Users complain, among other things, that it is difficult to watch multiple episodes in a row, that seasons are not clear and that the app often does not even start. The app also needs to buffer regularly, there’s no favorites tab, and live broadcasts can’t be watched from the start. “Shame, shame, shame,” writes Harry van Diessen. ‘What a bad update. They should really be very ashamed.”
Favorites
A lot has changed under the hood of the app, for which you can read this interview from Tweakers if you want to know more about internal APIs, payment providers, and programming languages. Yet viewers don’t care about that, because they just want a working app.
Characteristic of the problems is the removal of favorites. In the old NPO Start app, you could save series and films, which is a basic function of every streaming service. These favorites have completely disappeared and only due to user criticism will the function return later. This shows that behind the scenes people have not paid enough attention to how such an app is actually used.
Something as basic as going to the next episode is important for a streaming service. You will find out when testing the app when you try to binge yourself, and not only when users complain about it.
Once again, I am very happy with the programs that are made at the NPO, but if you want them to be viewed more and also reach young people, then you really have to come up with a better app. The programs deserve it and so do the viewers.
This is how you cancel your subscription
If you pay for NPO Start Plus, you can expect a working app. Is that why you want to cancel your subscription? We explain how that works.