The social guide app Peel — which doubles as a remote control if you buy the optional “Fruit” device — has just relaunched an updated version for iOS (iTunes) that adds social features to the experience. You can now like, recommend and check-into shows from the app, and those social activities roll up to an activity feed of your friends. The more you participate, the better Peel gets at program recommendations.
You can sign up via Facebook when you download the app, and it automatically follows your friends who are Peel users (an increasingly common social tactic these days.) You can see what they’re watching and tagging as a “guilty pleasure.” You can also “thank” users for their recommendations.
“Adding the Peel social platform furthers our goal of creating the ultimate television second screen companion for our users,” said Greg Lindley, chief experience officer for Peel. “TV can be a very community-oriented experience, especially with shows that inspire viewer passion. Many shows spark conversation – whether it’s a competitive talent program or a dramatic season premier – Peel wants to encourage and foster these conversations within your social network to create an even more personalized and interactive viewing experience.”
Peel’s move to add a social layer is consistent to what we’re seeing across the second-screen universe of apps: those that specialized in one area (like Peel’s remote control) are diversifying to include a full suite of co-viewing features (TV guide, social interaction, companion content, program synchronization, etc.)