TV-Streaming Apps Every Smartphone Owner Should Download

Want to stream your favorite TV shows directly to your smartphone? There's an app for that.

Dec 25, 2014
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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Watching television (or what we used to call television) on your phone has become the go-to standard for describing how far we’ve come technologically. And why shouldn’t it be? Just a few years back, families were tethered to their TVs—those glowing screens that had replaced so many fireplaces in American homes over the last century. It seems that the corded shackles of the living room are finally off, and we can enjoy streaming television anytime, anywhere (where there’s Wi-Fi or LTE).

Though most people know that they can watch television on their phones, even power smartphone users aren’t taking full advantage of their streaming options. Many people who have taken the plunge to formally cutting the cord with their cable box can’t name more than a few services that bring TV right to your phone. For those of you who have joined the revolution but don’t know exactly where to go from here, here are some TV-Streaming Apps Every Smartphone Owner Should Download, available on Windows Store.

Hulu Plus

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Price: Free

Hulu, created in partnership with three broadcast networks (FOX, ABC, and NBC), is probably the best known of the current television streaming apps available for smartphones. Hulu exists primarily to give you access to your favorite shows in the ensuing days after their initial airdate. Whether you’re obsessed with New Girl or Sleepy Hollow, Hulu is the premiere destination for streaming current programming. Though many of you are likely already familiar with Hulu, you may not be familiar with some of their offerings. On top of current programming, Hulu offers back catalogs of some of your favorite shows, an impressive roster of feature films, original programming, and a sizable library of children’s shows. If you are only using Hulu to catch up on what you missed last night, don’t be shy about using the service to look for something that you can’t find on Netflix or On Demand. For example, you probably didn’t know that you can watch classics like The Mary Tyler Moore Show on Hulu Plus right now on your phone.

Netflix

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Price: Free


Every day it seems that a new competitor steps into the TV streaming game. Even though there seems to be a new kid in town every time we turn on our phones, Netflix still rules the roost. Despite big-time back maneuvering by CBS and HBO, Netflix remains the premiere destination for streaming classic episodes of television. These days, you have to monitor the app to see what shows and films are coming and going, but Netflix is still your best bet for bygone seasons of your favorite series.

As networks get more aggressive with their back catalogs, Netflix ratchets up its original content production month after month. Though the buzz on the forthcoming Marco Polo is less than stellar, Orange is the New Black and House of Cards continue to anchor a diverse, impressive roster of original programming. And though you may see some of your favorite Netflix series scooped up by networks going digital, you can be sure that Netflix will remain well worth the monthly investment in terms of varied quality TV content.

Crackle

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Price: Free

The team at Crackle has quietly acquired and created some very interesting content over the last several years. Though the app offers a much smaller television library than competitors like Hulu and Netflix, Crackle has come into possession of some key cult titles. You’ll find niche hits like Damages, The Tick, and The Larry Sanders Show. There is also a fair amount of original programming on Crackle as well. You may have seen billboards in major cities for the return of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Even though many of you probably watch Jerry Seinfeld’s new hit on YouTube, Crackle is actually the network that’s supporting the show. Some of their other offerings, like the female hitman thriller Cleaners, have gained a cult following as well.

CBS

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Price: Free / $4.99

Previously, the CBS app has offered a fair amount of programming at the most fair price (free). A couple months ago, the network changed course and jumped into the streaming television arms race with both feet. On the heels of HBO’s announcement that it will be going a la carte next year, CBS gave word that it will be revamping its app game to compete in the fiercely competitive TV streaming marketplace. At the new $4.99 price point, CBS promises to deliver an extensive roster of programming and a better customer experience on PC and tablet.

CBS has been feeling the digital crunch. Its competitors have banded together behind the banner of Hulu and non-conventional outlets like Netflix and Amazon have been profiting off of its shows. Inspired by HBO’s insistence on taking better control of its back catalog, it appears that CBS has followed suit. It’s bad news for football fans, though. You won’t be able to stream NFL games like you would in front of a CBS-tuned TV: The NFL has maintained a strangle hold on those rights. Fans of procedural and multi-cam comedies can rejoice though. You’ll soon be able to take in all the CSI and The Big Bang Theory that you can handle any time you please.

Plex

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Price: $4.99

Numerous apps have come around on a variety of platforms aiming to turn your hard drive files into streaming content. One of the most reliable ways to utilize your hard drive media on the go is with Plex. What’s nice about Plex is that the app makes things easy for you. Plex “organizes your media, wherever you may keep it, so you can access and enjoy it on any screen.” The upshot of this is that there is a minimal amount of work on your end, resulting in maximum access to your content. Not only will you be able to get TV shows on your phone, movies, music, and photos will also be at your fingertips, no matter what screen you decide to use.

DIRECTV

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Price: Free

Though there are many a la carte services out there, if you are already an in-home cable subscriber, you may not have to go through the trouble of adding another service to your monthly media bills. DIRECTV is just one of a number of apps that allow cable subscribers to transfer the experience that they already pay for on their televisions to their phones at a nominal cost. Much of the focus in the streaming media world has been on so-called “cord cutting” apps, and rightfully so. However, a large segment of the cable consumer base still has some sort of cable or satellite package at home. Though some of us may prefer to be early adapters of the new ways of media consumption, others might be content to take an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach. For those of you who are still all about that cable life, look into whether you are entitled to fringe streaming benefits along with your cable bill.

Crunchyroll

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Price: Free

There are few genres that attract diehard fans quite like anime. If you are one of the faithful, then you absolutely must download Crunchyroll. The app boasts over 15,000 hours of anime programming with titles like Naruto Shippouden, Attack on Titan, and Blue Exorcist. If those titles mean anything to you at all, then you should probably download Crunchyroll immediately. If you have never dipped your toes into anime waters, then it probably can’t hurt to tuck away Crunchyroll for a rainy day. The app is free so you have nothing to lose. And with so many hours of content, you should be able to find something that you enjoy, even if anime isn’t exactly your cup of tea.

Discovery / TLC

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Price: Free / Free

Fear not, you reality TV obsessed masses, there is a streaming solution for you as well. Luckily, you no longer have to choose between your “men doing manly things” shows and your “insane family” shows. If you have a Windows Phone, you can get both apps and have access to the zany programming from both channels (as well as Animal Planet) all in one place. Never again will you be on the bus, at the DMV, or waiting in line at the airport without access to Naked and Afraid, Eaten Alive, or Long Island Medium. Now, on any smartphone, you can access as much reality as you can handle, and when it comes to shows like Breaking Amish, more reality than you ever wanted.

Vimeo

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Price: Free

If you are a filmmaker or are active in the media industry, then you probably have grown accustomed to going to Vimeo to watch friends’ short films or to take a look at the reels of prospective collaborators. Many of the Internet’s best web series have also found a home on Vimeo, as the platform is known to have a better, cleaner look than YouTube. Vimeo is also considered to be an artist-friendly site, known to nurture artists with features like “staff picks.” The site recently took this artist-centric approach to the next level. Vimeo is the home of the “it” web series of the moment, High Maintenance. The series has drawn accolades from across the hipper portion of the media landscape, landing profiles at in-the-know blogs like Grantland and Splitsider. The show also recently received a WGA award nomination, so it seems that the era of the web series as something more than a stepping-stone to traditional media outlets (a la Broad City) has arrived. Don’t be surprised if, in the next several years, Vimeo becomes as strong a streaming destination as some of the largest TV networks.

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