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hulu.com
It took Hulu little time to rise through the ranks of premium streaming services. Launched as one of the first premium streaming services that would be direct competition with the behemoth known as Netflix, Hulu had a bit of an uphill battle. How were they to differentiate themselves from Netflix? How were they to land enough syndicated material, especially when Netflix already had contracts with so many networks and studios? What could they offer that would be good enough to wrest subscribers from Netflix (or at least convince people that they needed a second monthly streaming service bill)?
It seems that Hulu has had a lot of success in addressing some of the investor concerns about its future when it first hit the market. In fact, according to third-party research, Hulu is now the second most popular and widely used streaming service of all time. So, what specifically did they do to make this happen?
Hulu wanted to make sure that their viewers would have the ability connect episodes of a show as opposed to watching one entire season all at once.
First, Hulu differentiated their service by offering a different streaming model than Netflix does. They mirrored traditional cable more closely by releasing full seasons of TV series instead of just letting viewers watch individual episodes. Netflix is known for having binge-worthy content, while Hulu wants to make sure their viewers can connect episodes of a show and keep track of their progress.
After much deliberation, Hulu decided that there was still value to be found in unraveling series one episode at a time on a weekly basis. Their belief was that keeping people on the hook would bring them back, time and time again, to tune in the following week and see what happens next on their favorite shows. And they were right. Many people who swear by Hulu cite the fact that they are able to watch new episodes of their favorite shows 24 hours after they air on cable TV.
Hulu successfully acquired a large number of network cable syndications after Netflix began to shift its focus away from original content production. When Netflix began producing more original content, Hulu quickly took advantage of these networks that favor the week-by-week release model for currently airing programs.
This permitted Hulu to secure very exclusive contracts with the likes of NBC, ABC, and Fox. However, Hulu also began producing their own original content immediately upon launch, accurately predicting that this would be the big push in the coming years of streaming. As a result, Hulu has produced plenty of critically acclaimed and award-winning original movies and TV shows.
As far as what Hulu offered that could convince some Netflix subscribers to switchover ? in addition to high-quality original content that could not be found on Netflix (or anywhere else), the ability for users to keep up to date with their favorite currently airing sitcoms and dramas, and its own live cable TV streaming service, Hulu eventually started offering these services as an added option.
This was, according to my opinion, the final large-scale move that would forever differentiate Hulu from Netflix in a major way. For around $50 a month, users could now stream live TV from hundreds of networks, as well as stream their favorite Hulu content on-demand. No other premium streaming service, mind you, was offering anything of the sort at the time. And I know, personally, plenty of people who jumped on the Hulu bandwagon almost immediately once they began offering this service.
Many premium streaming apps do not tend to get very high user ratings, but the Hulu app is one of the highest-rated apps in all of the Apple App Store, and it seems to be tenured as an Apple App Store Editor's Choice. With an overall average user rating of 4.7 stars (out of 5) from over 1.2 million individual user reviews, there is no touching Hulu in the world of premium streaming apps.
Let's dive into the Hulu app and see what makes it so great.
Design
I do not think it is very common for a premium streaming app to be designed in a way that truly makes sense for a premium streaming app. Take, for example, the Netflix app. It is very cluttered and it seems to be built in a layout that would make more sense for a social network than it would for a streaming service. On the other hand, Hulu knows exactly what it is - a premium streaming service that needs to make a convenient smartphone application of its platform - and it knows exactly how to best highlight its features in a way that makes the most sense for a mobile application. In fact, I might go as far as to say that the Hulu app is far better than the Hulu web browser site.
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The app has conveniently separated the home page into sections that can be clicked on. Just select what you are looking for and watch the whole page immediately transform. The scroll through a slender menu at the top of the app, choosing either Popular, Drama, Comedy, Documentaries, etc. and simply browse by genre or popularity. From there, it is just a matter of scrolling down until you find the title you are looking for.
The My Stuff section of the app makes for a completely streamlined experience. Whether you are watching on your computer, your tablet, or your smartphone, picking right up where you left off is easy by being able to access a cross-platform folder of your favorite shows, movies, or TV networks. Add a show to your My Stuff list on the computer, and then access it immediately on your phone via the app. It is streaming simplified.
Content
The Hulu app grants its users access to every show, movie and network that they have access to based on the account level. There are no missing titles or networks, and all content available on the website and through the app's Smart TV companion is also available on mobile.
You can also add on specific additional networks to access exclusive content, such as Showtime, HBO, Cinemax, or STARS. Additionally, if you have access to Hulu TV, the app allows you to watch live television while also browsing from a live TV menu, turning your smartphone into television in no time.
Pricing and Plans
Hulu likely offers more pricing tiers than any other premium streaming service. What you pay for determines what services and features you have access to. There is the Hulu basic streaming option, which is $9.99 a month and includes ads. Or, for only 2 more dollars a month, you can get Hulu Premium, which is ad-free. If you want access to live TV, however, you'll have to be willing to drop around $40 a month (which also gets you access to everything else). From there, much like Amazon Prime Video, you can add specific channels like HBO and Showtime for various additional fees per month.
That being said, the app itself is completely free to download and use. There is no additional cost to use the app, and it allows you to create up to 6 different personalized accounts, in case your family and friends will also be using your Hulu password and username.
Suggestions that I have for the Hulu App
Unfortunately, there have been reports of closed captioning errors, the rewind feature not working, and some minor sound problems with the Hulu app. So, my main suggestion would be to get rid of these minor bugs in order to create a truly flawless mobile experience for the Hulu app.
Conclusion
Based on ratings alone, the Hulu app might be the best premium streaming app currently on the market. There may be a few glitches here and there, but for what it's worth, this is quite possibly the best free app you'll find. If you have a Hulu account, it's a must-have, and if you are considering getting one, I strongly urge you to do so - especially if you watch a lot of content on your phone or tablet!
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