Verizon FIOS TV 2

Verizon on Tuesday launched a significant reworking of its FIOS TV fiber-optic TV service which is designed at once to be simpler and more powerful. Key to this is a far more visual interface, the company says: rather than use the typical sea of text menus, the guide lets owners browse movies by their poster art and through obvious menu layers when avoiding text is not an option. A live search tool will also display results based on keywords as the user types them out with the remote, showing not only titles or actors but also whether the show is local to an attached DVR or viewable on TV.

The open-ended nature of the new guide also promises greater access to pre-recorded content, Verizon adds. Though not yet live, future updates should exploit the already existing Internet connection to stream music, podcasts, and video directly to the set-top box as well as give access to Internet-based games.

No exact timeframe was given for this eventual add-on or the near-term update, but Verizon notes that all changes will be free for any FIOS TV customer and should roll out through a series of overnight upgrades in coming weeks. All existing receivers and remotes should support the update.

By Electronista Staff