Hands-On With the New Apple TV: An Overview of Siri and Search

[MacRumors]

Along with an App Store, Siri voice integration and universal search are important software-based features available on the new Apple TV. With Siri voice integration, it's possible to search for content and control video playback, while universal search allows users to look for movies and TV shows across a range of different apps.

In the video below, we went hands-on with the new Apple TV to give MacRumors readers an in-depth look at how the new Siri and universal search features work in person.

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Siri is linked to universal search, as the main (and simplest) way to seek out television shows, movies, and apps on the Apple TV. Siri is able to do things like pause, rewind, and fast forward, and there are also some cool tricks. For example, asking Siri "What did he say?" during a bit of missed speech in a TV show or movie will rewind a few seconds and display subtitles. Searching through television shows by specific actors, scenes, and episodes is another nifty feature.

At the current point in time, universal search is limited to a handful of sources that include Netflix, iTunes, Hulu HBO Go, and Showtime, but Apple plans to make a universal search API available, expanding the number of apps that can take advantage of the feature.

For more on the new Apple TV, make sure to check out our complete hardware overview and our look at the tvOS App Store. We've also rounded up a list of Apple TV apps and we've shared some tidbits about the new device.

On our forums, our readers are discussing the new Apple TV in the dedicated Apple TV forum. Of particular interest is a thread where new Apple TV owners are discussing their first impressions of the device, and there's also a forum dedicated to Apple TV apps.

Article Link: Hands-On With the New Apple TV: An Overview of Siri and Search

 

[NitroZip]

No flipping podcast app!!

 

[carrrrrlos]

Would love to see Alexa, Siri, and Cortana at a dinner party.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

At the current point in time, universal search is limited to a handful of sources that include Netflix, iTunes, Hulu HBO Go, and Showtime, but Apple plans to make a universal search API available, expanding the number of apps that can take advantage of the feature.

So do we have final word on whether "iTunes" includes searching our own (local) movies & TV shows? For instance, if a movie (not purchased from iTunes) is sitting on our local Mac's hard drive, is properly meta-tagged and is indexed by iTunes so TV can "see" it, will universal search and/or Siri find it when someone searches for that movie? Or is "iTunes" only stuff we can buy or rent or have purchased?

 

[EightBitJoe]

I asked Siri to find some "stupid" TV shows, and she curiously included a favorite:

https://twitter.com/joecassara/status/659948113126432768

 

[devinthomas]

Siri is really really fast on the new Apple TV. Wish they could cram her into the Apple Watch.

 

[iChrist]

Meh. Look, most people know what show they want to watch and jump to HBO Go or whatever and find it fast.

When Apple gets their **** together and can integrate with all services and can eliminate the cable box, I'll be impressed.

Even if the future is no cable and all streaming, Apple doesn't even allow all services such as Amazon. So, it's always gonna be half baked.

 

[MAGN8]

Does Itunes have the visualization feature?

 

[rrm74001]

Apple doesn't even allow all services such as Amazon

AppleTV doesn't have Amazon. It's not that they don't allow it. Amazon certainly could be on the AppleTV if they wanted to.

 

[shk718]

i am so digging the new apple tv The remote so simple and with HDMI-CEC it can control everything. As far as I"m concerned Apple has cracked the code of fixing TV.

 

[man3ster]

I want my podcast app back & showtime subscription cannot login with restore through iTunes purchase. Anyone else having this issue?

 

[Yumbo]

So do we have final word on whether "iTunes" includes searching our own (local) movies & TV shows? For instance, if a movie (not purchased from iTunes) is sitting on our local Mac's hard drive, is properly meta-tagged and is indexed by iTunes so TV can "see" it, will universal search and/or Siri find it when someone searches for that movie? Or is "iTunes" only stuff we can buy or rent or have purchased?

Siri only pulls purchases including HIDDEN items.
If your local share file is visible on screen, then Siri will select.
Online content preloads and stays in cache.
Local files only load to a 5 minute buffer.

 

[iOrbit]

So do we have final word on whether "iTunes" includes searching our own (local) movies & TV shows? For instance, if a movie (not purchased from iTunes) is sitting on our local Mac's hard drive, is properly meta-tagged and is indexed by iTunes so TV can "see" it, will universal search and/or Siri find it when someone searches for that movie? Or is "iTunes" only stuff we can buy or rent or have purchased?

I would like to know this too. I have two apple tv's and i primarily use it for watching my own content in my home sharing set up. I use it for Netflix etc too but if Apple TV 4 doesnt integrate results from siri search with my iTunes then the only incentive for me is the App Store - which i can wait on to be honest.

 

[Sethal]

So do we have final word on whether "iTunes" includes searching our own (local) movies & TV shows? For instance, if a movie (not purchased from iTunes) is sitting on our local Mac's hard drive, is properly meta-tagged and is indexed by iTunes so TV can "see" it, will universal search and/or Siri find it when someone searches for that movie? Or is "iTunes" only stuff we can buy or rent or have purchased?

It's just iTunes content. I couldn't get my not purchased from iTunes content to pull up with Siri or search. Big disipointment. Makes Siri a lot less useful for me.

 

[hemanwomanhater]

Even if the future is no cable and all streaming, Apple doesn't even allow all services such as Amazon. So, it's always gonna be half baked.

Keep up guy, that has nothing to do with Apple. Your beef is with Amazon, who is refusing to put their app on ATV because there's no additional revenue stream for them without giving a percentage to Apple, and who is also refusing to sell Apple TVs from their own store because it competes from Fire TV.

 

[realeric]

After playing with ATV4 for 6 hours, my conclusion is ATV2+jailbroken is better than ATV4 yet.

 

[superstrikertwo]

So do we have final word on whether "iTunes" includes searching our own (local) movies & TV shows? For instance, if a movie (not purchased from iTunes) is sitting on our local Mac's hard drive, is properly meta-tagged and is indexed by iTunes so TV can "see" it, will universal search and/or Siri find it when someone searches for that movie? Or is "iTunes" only stuff we can buy or rent or have purchased?

Siri doesn't look at what you have on your computer sadly.

 

[Tdadlani]

Does anyone know how to watch CNN and CNBC without a cable subscription ?

 

[341328]

New Apple TV doesn't work with Remote iOS app - WTF!! Now I have to use stupid onscreen keyboard to enter App Store password etc

Why didn't Apple include Touch ID on the remote and also a dedicated gaming bundle with game controller?!

 

[JAQ]

For example, asking Siri "What did he say?" during a bit of missed speech in a TV show or movie will rewind a few seconds and display subtitles.

So, kind of like pressing the Replay button my Roku remote, but I have to speak clearly?

 

[341328]

i am so digging the new apple tv The remote so simple and with HDMI-CEC it can control everything. As far as I"m concerned Apple has cracked the code of fixing TV.

Yeah, turning on everything and volumn up and down are great.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

It's just iTunes content. I couldn't get my not purchased from iTunes content to pull up with Siri or search. Big disipointment. Makes Siri a lot less useful for me.

Is your own media tagged pretty well (name, author, actors, director, etc) using something like Meta-Z, Subler or similar such that you'd have pretty good confidence that it's not just a tagging issue?

 

[RobertMartens]

So do we have final word on whether "iTunes" includes searching our own (local) movies & TV shows? For instance, if a movie (not purchased from iTunes) is sitting on our local Mac's hard drive, is properly meta-tagged and is indexed by iTunes so TV can "see" it, will universal search and/or Siri find it when someone searches for that movie? Or is "iTunes" only stuff we can buy or rent or have purchased?

I mean, if I have some random movie on my mac that I just have, because maybe it fell off a truck, can Siri see it? and how do you make that apple mark? it is so cool.

After playing with ATV4 for 6 hours, my conclusion is ATV2+jailbroken is better than ATV4 yet.

6 hours, seriously, please tell me it was raining outside and your car is at the shop

 

[macstever]

New Apple TV doesn't work with Remote iOS app - WTF!! Now I have to use stupid onscreen keyboard to enter App Store password etc

No kidding. Horrible.

 

[RobertMartens]

Does anyone know how to watch CNN and CNBC without a cable subscription ?

I thought people cut the cable so they wouldn't have to watch CNN and CNBC.