Channel 4’s Streaming App, All4, Is Getting A Major Revamp

Channel 4’s catch-up and streaming service, All4, is set to undergo a rebrand, along with Channel 4’s other properties, such as E4 and More4.

As part of this major revamp, which the channel announced today, All4, the long-running streaming service and app, will change its name to… “Channel 4”.

According to the announcement, bringing all channels and services under one ‘Channel 4’ brand will “help audiences better navigate the abundance of choice in the digital world”.

• 2023 Update: All4’s name change is now underway.

Photo: Deposit Photos

The brand transformation will begin from Spring 2023.

This means that the linear version of Channel 4, which people watch on Freeview, Freesat and the pay-TV platforms, will have the same name as the channel’s streaming app – a first for a UK broadcaster – as “audiences increasingly no longer distinguish between digital and linear content”.

Other broadcasters’ streaming services in the UK all have their unique names and identities – BBC has iPlayer, Channel 5 has My5, and ITV currently has ITV Hub – which will soon turn into ITVX.

Zaid Al-Qassab, Chief Marketing Officer at Channel 4, said:

“As Channel 4 turns 40, we’re responding to the challenge of an increasingly crowded content market by using our most powerful asset, the Channel 4 brand.

“The creation of a singular brand vision will better serve our viewers and help futureproof the channel to make sure we’re able to continue to take creative risks for the next 40 years.”

All4, which includes both catch-up content and full box-sets from Channel 4’s archives, is currently available on most of the leading streaming devices sold in the UK, such as Amazon’s Fire TV, Roku, Freeview Play and more.

Sadly, the All4 app is still not available on Freesat’s connected boxes, having left them back in 2018.

The free streaming service remains the UK’s biggest, and last year its library of content drove record-breaking performance.

The service hit 1.5bn views in 2021 – an increase of +21% year-on-year. According to Channel 4, Development is under way to further improve product reliability and the user-experience.

Channel 4’s Spin-off Channels Also Changing

In addition to changing the name All4, Channel 4’s entire portfolio of channels will also align with the ‘Channel 4’ brand.

Therefore, even recently-launched channels like E4 Extra, will likely get a new name next year, derived from Channel 4. 

New idents have already been commissioned as part of the brand transformation.

Working in collaboration with a number of British artists and filmmakers, Channel 4’s award-winning 4creative will seek to represent the UK, its culture and mentality to present an unexpected and daring portrait of Britain retold.