In a decisive response to shifting viewer preferences, Foxtel has entirely redesigned its popular Kayo Sports app for mobile and tablet devices. This marks the first major overhaul of the platform since its 2018 debut. Initially rolling out to a select group of users this week, the revamped experience will expand to all subscribers over the next month.
Rather than pursuing a “mobile-first” design, Foxtel’s goal was to blend mobile convenience with its powerful live-TV roots. The emphasis is on delivering polished highlights, short-form content, and deeper engagement without sidelining full live games.
Moments & Stories: A vertically scrollable feed displays bite-sized Moments 30-second highlight clips identified via AI and enriched by human editing. plus Stories for quick-hitting updates. It mirrors the familiarity of TikTok and Instagram, but tailored for sports.
- Moments Player: This new interface enables users to relive key plays at their discretion, then instantly switch to full live action with a “Watch Now” button.
- Redesigned Home Interface: A dynamic homepage introduces hero banners and streamlined CTAs to speed access to live events and personalized content.
- Enhanced Favourites & Search: Users are now prompted to select favourite teams and competitions. Smarter navigation and a more intuitive layout allow faster access to games and highlights.
- Near Real-Time AI Highlights: AI systems detect pivotal momentsmgoals, point-scoring plays, crashesmwithin seconds, while editorial oversight ensures the best clips hit the Moments tab.
- Coming Soon: Social Sharing: Users will soon be able to share highlight clipsmeven with non-Kayo subscribersmleveraging social platforms to broaden engagement and act as a marketing tool.
The initiative was led by Foxtel’s Executive Director of Product, Tom Blaxland an Emmy Award-winning veteran who relocated from the U.S. to head up streaming products like Peacock and SkyShowtime. Blaxland assembled more than 50 engineers, designers, product managers, and sports analysts in Artarmon, NSW to deliver a cohesive, in-office collaborative experience.
The redesign acknowledges a clear shift away from linear TV: younger viewers are consuming sports differently short clips, podcasts, fantasy leagues, social media rather than long-form live events. With mobile usage on the rise, Kayo’s new features aim to better serve on-the-go fans while maintaining its strength in live streaming.
By catering to ancillary content engagement, Kayo could attract higher-value subscribers. Ampere Analytics data shows that viewers who enjoy bonus content are prepared to pay 55–75 AUD monthly well above the standard streaming cost.
- Launch begins: Early beta update has started for select users.
- Full rollout: All iOS and Android mobile and tablet users will receive the update over the coming month.
Foxtel’s complete overhaul of the Kayo mobile platform represents a strategic shift toward delivering fan-focused, snackable sports content while still preserving its strong foundation in live broadcasting. As the app rolls out, it will be intriguing to see how users respond to the blend of real-time engagement, AI-powered highlights, and social sharing. This could well redefine how Australians consume sports on the move.
