The ITV Hub is one of the UK's most popular streaming apps, offering a huge library of homegrown dramas, entertainment shows, soaps and documentaries from one of the country's biggest broadcasters. So it's immensely frustrating for PS4 owners that there's no version of the app geared specifically towards Sony's gaming entertainment system.
The ITV Hub enables users to stream content from all of ITV channels, meaning that it will be a much-needed app for watching Euro 2020 coverage in the UK this summer (alongside BBC iPlayer).
Unfortunately for those PS4 owners who use the console as their primary entertainment system, the ITV Hub app is not available for the platform.
What's even more annoying is that fellow broadcasters such as the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5 do have PS4 apps available on the PlayStation Store (BBC iPlayer, All 4 and My5 respectively), not to mention other streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. So why exactly is ITV refraining from putting out a PS4 version of its popular ITV Hub?
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Why isn't there an ITV Hub app on the PS4?
There's no clear reason for why ITV hasn't made their ITV Hub player available on the PS4. However, we do know that making a system-specific version of a player app such as ITV Hub requires specialised development and support that's geared towards the quirks of that particular system. This can cost a lot of time, money and staff resources.
It's not just a case of making one universal app and pushing it out to every platform or device. Therefore, the broadcaster needs to make sure the effort of making each different version of the app is worth their while.
It could be that ITV has deemed the PlayStation 4 as a low priority for app development, perhaps because of audience demographics or some other reason. Clearly, to reach the broadest range of potential viewers, the broadcaster has to focus chiefly on high-priority platforms such as mobile, streaming devices (Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku) and smart TV systems. It could simply be that the PS4 is at the back of the development queue given the app is also not available on the PS5– which is strange, seeing as there is an ITV Hub app available for the Xbox One.
READ MORE: Will there be a BBC iPlayer app on PS5?
How to watch ITV on PS4
Despite the absence of an official ITV Hub app, there is a simple workaround to watching the Euro 2020 coverage on your PlayStation console.
If you have a Sky membership, you can download the Sky Go application on your PS4 console, allowing you to watch ITV as it's broadcast live. Unfortunately for those hoping to watch ITV on the cheap, Sky's fees are pretty hefty given the amount you get access to.
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