System and method for switching between media streams for non-adjacent channels while providing a seamless user experience

A client device comprising:

• a display;
• one or more processors;
• and
• memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
• receiving a first request from a user to display a first video stream on the display, wherein the first video stream corresponds to a first channel in a predetermined sequence of channels;
• in response to the first request, displaying the first video stream on the display;
• and
• while displaying the first video stream on the display:
• prior to receiving a second request from the user to display a second video stream, wherein the second video stream corresponds to a second channel in the predetermined sequence of channels and the second channel is separated from the first channel in the predetermined sequence by one or more intervening channels along the predetermined sequence, preloading from a remote content source video content of the second video stream and at least one of the one or more intervening channels;
• receiving the second request from the user to display the second video stream on the display;
• and
• in response to receiving the second request, transitioning to displaying the second video stream by:
• displaying at least a portion of the first video stream on the display concurrently with at least a portion of the preloaded video content of the at least one of the one or more intervening channels;
• and
• displaying at least a portion of the preloaded video content of the at least one of the one or more intervening channels concurrently with at least a portion of the second video stream.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a client device with a display and one or more processors, cause the client device to:

• receive a first request from a user to display a first video stream on the display, wherein the first video stream corresponds to a first channel in a predetermined sequence of channels;
• in response to the first request, display the first video stream on the display;
• and
• while displaying the first video stream on the display:
• prior to receiving a second request from the user to display a second video stream, wherein the second video stream corresponds to a second channel in the predetermined sequence of channels and the second channel is separated from the first channel in the predetermined sequence by one or more intervening channels along the predetermined sequence, preload from a remote content source video content of the second video stream and at least one of the one or more intervening channels;
• receive the second request from the user to display the second video stream on the display;
• and
• in response to receiving the second request, transition to displaying the second video stream by:
• displaying at least a portion of the first video stream on the display concurrently with at least a portion of the preloaded video content of the at least one of the one or more intervening channels;
• and
• displaying at least a portion of the preloaded video content of the at least one of the one or more intervening channels concurrently with at least a portion of the second video stream.