Plex, a popular streaming service and media software maker, has announced a major redesign of its software, placing a greater emphasis on discovery, easily accessing users' watchlists, and other personalization features. The update, which has been two years in the making, aims to strike a balance between Plex's history as a software maker focused on home media organization and its future as a streaming service generating revenue through ad-supported content.The redesign comes at a critical time for Plex, which raised $40 million in funding at the beginning of 2024 and is expected to reach profitability by the end of this year or early 2025. The company's success in achieving this goal hinges on the success of its redesign, making it a crucial milestone in Plex's development.The new interface, initially available as a preview on mobile devices, features redesigned navigation that makes it easier for users to explore different parts of Plex's service. The update replaces hamburger menus with tabbed navigation and buttons at the bottom of the screen, a move that is expected to improve the user experience on mobile devices. Users can now seamlessly move between their media library, Live TV channels, On Demand streams, and more, with dedicated buttons for a Discovery section and a personalized home page.Home media enthusiasts who still use Plex to organize their media libraries will appreciate the dedicated button that centralizes access to this feature, allowing them to favorite libraries and customize the experience to their needs. Additionally, the Plex Watchlist, where users track the shows and movies they want to see, has been given a more prominent spot in the top navigation for faster access, reflecting the growing popularity of this feature.The redesign also includes a reorganization of areas where users access their personal details, such as their profile, watch history, friends, and streaming services, which are now all available in one place. Furthermore, the updated app has expanded its use of visual imagery, particularly noticeable in movie and show detail pages, cast and crew profiles, and users' own Plex profile pages. Title artwork for movies and shows has also been added in response to user feedback.Notably, the redesign is not just a surface-level update – Plex has rewritten its apps under the hood and streamlined its codebase as part of this process. This unified codebase will enable the team to release new features across all supported platforms quickly, speeding up the development cycle.The redesign is initially rolling out to mobile devices in an "early-access preview" to allow users to test the experience and provide feedback before expanding it across all devices. A few features, including playlists and cast support, are still in the works but will be added during the preview period. Support for TV platforms will soon follow, according to the company.Overall, Plex's redesign marks a significant step forward for the company as it seeks to balance its dual identity as a media organization software maker and a streaming service. By emphasizing discovery, personalization, and ease of use, Plex aims to improve the user experience and drive growth in the competitive streaming market.

The redesign comes at a critical time for Plex, which raised $40 million in funding at the beginning of 2024 and is expected to reach profitability by the end of this year or early 2025. The company's success in achieving this goal hinges on the success of its redesign, making it a crucial milestone in Plex's development.

The new interface, initially available as a preview on mobile devices, features redesigned navigation that makes it easier for users to explore different parts of Plex's service. The update replaces hamburger menus with tabbed navigation and buttons at the bottom of the screen, a move that is expected to improve the user experience on mobile devices. Users can now seamlessly move between their media library, Live TV channels, On Demand streams, and more, with dedicated buttons for a Discovery section and a personalized home page.

Home media enthusiasts who still use Plex to organize their media libraries will appreciate the dedicated button that centralizes access to this feature, allowing them to favorite libraries and customize the experience to their needs. Additionally, the Plex Watchlist, where users track the shows and movies they want to see, has been given a more prominent spot in the top navigation for faster access, reflecting the growing popularity of this feature.

The redesign also includes a reorganization of areas where users access their personal details, such as their profile, watch history, friends, and streaming services, which are now all available in one place. Furthermore, the updated app has expanded its use of visual imagery, particularly noticeable in movie and show detail pages, cast and crew profiles, and users' own Plex profile pages. Title artwork for movies and shows has also been added in response to user feedback.

Notably, the redesign is not just a surface-level update – Plex has rewritten its apps under the hood and streamlined its codebase as part of this process. This unified codebase will enable the team to release new features across all supported platforms quickly, speeding up the development cycle.

The redesign is initially rolling out to mobile devices in an "early-access preview" to allow users to test the experience and provide feedback before expanding it across all devices. A few features, including playlists and cast support, are still in the works but will be added during the preview period. Support for TV platforms will soon follow, according to the company.

Overall, Plex's redesign marks a significant step forward for the company as it seeks to balance its dual identity as a media organization software maker and a streaming service. By emphasizing discovery, personalization, and ease of use, Plex aims to improve the user experience and drive growth in the competitive streaming market.