Blog
April 29, 2026
Simplestream Product Update
Simplestream continues to evolve its platform to support the changing demands of streaming services. As audiences grow and services expand into new markets, the technology behind them must remain reliable and ready to adapt.
This product update outlines recent enhancements across Channel Studio, search infrastructure, and the Next Gen application framework. These updates reflect ongoing development across the platform and demonstrate how Simplestream is continuing to strengthen its core capabilities while supporting the long-term needs of customers.
Channel Studio Enhancements
Channel Studio continues to evolve to support the growing demands of the FAST and virtual channel markets. Recent updates introduce new security capabilities and deeper workflow automation to improve all areas of the platform.
Expanded DRM Support
Channel Studio now supports Digital Rights Management (DRM) across the full channel creation and delivery workflow. Content can be protected using either pre-encrypted source assets or encryption applied during the encoding process.
The platform supports all major DRM technologies, including Widevine, FairPlay, and PlayReady, ensuring compatibility across connected TV, mobile, and web environments. This enhancement strengthens content protection while maintainingflexibility in how assets are prepared and distributed.
Integration with MediaGenix for Automated Scheduling
To streamline channel operations and reduce manual scheduling effort, Channel Studio has been integrated with MediaGenix to enable automated Electronic Program Guide (EPG) and schedule creation.
This integration allows schedules to be dynamically generated using assets sourced from a content management system (CMS) all managed through a single unified workflow. The result is faster channel deployment and more efficient day-to-day channel management.
Next Gen Features and Functions
Next Gen is Simplestream’s new hybrid application built on the React framework, replacing the legacy TAL platform with a modern interface and flexible architecture designed to support future development and improved viewer experiences across devices.
The platform introduces upgrades across content presentation, discovery, navigation, and performance, creating a more responsive and scalable foundation for services operating across connected TV and digital environments.
1. Hero & Video Experience
The hero experience has been redesigned to improve content visibility and promotional flexibility. Services can now use a full-screen hero layout with multiple slides to showcase featured programming or campaigns.
Video teasers can be embedded directly into the hero carousel for live and on-demand content, while background video and auto-play functionality deliver a more dynamic and engaging homepage experience.
2. Search & Discovery
Search and discovery have been enhanced to help viewers find content faster, particularly on connected TV devices.
New Top 10 and Trending carousels highlight popular content, while OpenSearch integration enables faster response times and predictive search suggestions. The redesigned interface delivers real-time results, reducing friction and improving overall usability.
3. Navigation & Layout (CTV-Focused)
Navigation updates improve usability while supporting flexible service design.
A new left-hand sidebar provides consistent access to key sections through a simplified, icon-based layout and optional user avatar display. The platform also retains the traditional horizontal menu structure for services that prefer a familiar interface.
4. Performance & Technical Improvements
Next Gen introduces platform-level optimisations to improve speed, reliability, and maintainability.
Technical debt has been reduced to streamline development, while performance enhancements such as lazy loading and optimised API handling reduce load times. Additional tooling supports targeted testing by operating system or IP address, and automatic image optimisation to formats such as WebP and AVIF ensures faster delivery without compromising quality.
OpenSearch V1
OpenSearch V1 introduces a significant upgrade to Simplestream’s search capability through an enhanced integration between AWS and OpenSearch. This release modernizes the underlying search infrastructure while maintaining compatibility with existing application integrations.
The new implementation replaces legacy components within the search technology stack while preserving the existing response structure. As a result, current applications can benefit from improved performance and functionality without requiring changes or updates.
Key Improvements
OpenSearch V1 delivers a range of enhancements designed to improve content discovery and operational insight, including:
- Fuzzy and related search functionality, enabling users to find relevant content even when search terms are misspelled or approximate
- Faster response times, improving the overall user experience across platforms
- Search analytics dashboards, providing visibility into popular search terms and user behaviour to support content optimization and editorial decisions
Looking Ahead: OpenSearch V2
OpenSearch V2 is scheduled for release in Q2 2026 and will introduce additional user-facing and organizational enhancements, including:
- An updated search user interface across supported applications
- Autocomplete functionality to speed up content discovery
- Improved content grouping, allowing related titles to be organized into series for clearer navigation and presentation
