Englewood, Colo. — Satellite-TV provider Dish said Thursday that it has just updated to its Dish Explorer iPad App, enabling users to control their TV power and volume directly from their tablet without the need of an actual remote.
Dish said the update was made in direct response to customer feedback, requesting the capability.
First launched last year, Dish Explorer is a second-screen iPad app for the Hopper whole-home DVR that combines program-discovery tools, social-media engagement and remote-control capabilities.
Dish launched its initial second-screen features on Apple’s iPad, and continues to offer free iPads to new Dish TV subscribers who commit to specific programming terms.
The app highlights the most popular programs on TV using real-time TV viewing trends and provides integration with Facebook and Twitter so that consumers have a more intuitive and social TV experience.
Dish said its “five-star” Dish Explorer iPad app has generated an increase in “active users” of 225 percent since last year.
The second-screen app, which is available on iTunes, now also offers a “Picked For Me” personalized programming recommendation tool and trailer features based on viewing habits.
“Over the past year, Dish Explorer has become the highest-rated second-screen app for iPad, in part because we continue to make updates our customers want,” Jimshade Chaudhari, Dish product management director, said in a statement. “While Dish Explorer has had native control of Hopper capabilities such as search, record and channel navigation, consumers also want to use the app to turn their TVs on and off and control the volume, now they can.”
