Apple Adds Intrusive 'Featured' Section Above 'Up Next' in TV App

[mthomas184]

This is the same thing they’ve had for years, just renamed from “What to Watch” to “Featured”. The exact same titles that were on my what to watch are now on “Featured”

 

[gwang73]

I don't mind them adding the Featured section but not on top of my Up Next. Put "Up Next" first because that's the shows I care about the most.

 

[dan980]

Apple is getting nervous. Keeping phone prices largely the same which decreases margin (because costs have risen). They hope to make it up with this kind of stuff. Ads. Raising services.

iPads have already decreased in sales. Macs on the way to a bad quarter as telegraphed by apple. But iPhone is their bread n butter. Even if they have to turn their software into adware.

The prices remained the same in the US, but increased by 20% in Europe. Even app prices increased by 20%. In only one year.

 

[Oscar_440]

Tim must leave Apple ASAP. We need new and fresh products, not ads, not expensive iPad with usb 2.0speeds or not laminated screen, not same iPhone year after year.

We need a real leader again, fingers crossed 🤞 for a change

 

[bmark]

Tim must leave Apple ASAP. We need new and fresh products, not ads, not expensive iPad with usb 2.0speeds or not laminated screen, not same iPhone year after year.

We need a real leader again, fingers crossed 🤞 for a change

Keep dreaming, Tim isn't going anywhere except to throw ad's on every Apple platform moving forward!

 

[salutcemoi]

"This is unacceptable! I'm switching to Android!"


But yeah, Tim Apple must go tbh

 

[ghanwani]

This is helpful. I like Apple making suggestions because I can never seem to figure out what I really want to watch.

 

[ignatius345]

I pay a premium for Apple stuff specifically to avoid this kind of bull**** monetization of my attention.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

So what's the point of paying more for Apple if we get the same subpar treatment?

Apple logo silly. Besides...

For subpar treatment, Apple is obviously the best at it. <Competitor> subpar treatment is actually sub-subpar or even sub-sub-subpar (apparently rationalizing why only one subpar tier is OK).
And
Apple may not be first with subpar treatment, but they take their time to get subpar right.
And
99% don't mind subpar treatment, so this is ideal for pretty much everyone.
And
This subpar treatment is iconic.
And
I love subpar treatment, (so you should too).
Etc.

All

 

[aloysiusfreeman]

So what's the point of paying more for Apple if we get the same subpar treatment?

Original programing. As is the point of choosing one streaming services or another these days.

If this were ads embedded in the middle of its programming, then sure then that is something worth complaining about. Having it on the interface just one row above the Up Next? Just some thinned skin complaining.

 

[Someyoungguy]

If you think this is bad, you should see the prototype Apple TV I’m using.

 

[alexandr]

I'm so mad! No I'm not — I hardly ever even open that app...

 

[sw1tcher]

If I see a Viagra add in the app store and/or in the featured section of the tv app, I may have an issue.

... an issue Apple thinks Viagra may be able to fix 🤣

 

[vegetassj4]

Gurman: leaked photos of rumored Apple TV 8K currently under development

 

[Jim Lahey]

Just one more lap around the plughole and we’re done. Nearly there. One more…

 

[ackmondual]

Sheesh, and this is supposed to be their "ad-free" version. I shudder to think how bad it can get once their ad-supported tier rolls out!

If this is Tim Cook and Jeff Williams' ethos, I want them both fired. The whole point of buying Apple is to avoid intrusive advertising.

Laugh at me all you want.

Unfortunately, the only people who can get them fired are those that wouldn't want to (shareholders, stockowners) :\

 

[CoMoMacUser]

Love the end table with bird feet!

 

[Htsi]

Man this SUCKS!
Apple going the AMAZON & ROKU WAY

 

[armandxp]

I forgot to take beta updates off and saw this change a couple days ago. It was driving me crazy. I kept trying to change what's up top and neither of the choices would go to the very top. I wonder if it'll change back once the beta is over? Not a huge deal, but I do like my up next at the very top.

 

[HiVolt]

It's simple, Apple used to be a hardware company.

Now they are full on transitioning to a subscription services company, while still charging premium+ prices for hardware. If you are still wondering why they introduced App Tracking Transparency? This is exactly why. Not to protect your privacy (ROFL). It's to hurt their main competition, namely Facebook & Google, and give themselves an upper hand on their platform.

Something's gotta give, or the advantage they once had will no longer be there.

 

[sw1tcher]

Apple knows what they’re doing and they push things just far enough.

You mean like how Apple ran ads for gambling apps next to apps designed to help people fight their gambling addiction?

Gambling App Store ads are showing up next to addiction recovery apps | AppleInsider

There are more ads in the App Store, including gambling apps next to kids applications — and worse yet, next to gambling addiction recovery ones.

appleinsider.com

When does it become too far?

 

[ackmondual]

Ugh. No.

This is one of the things I detest about Google/Android TV, is the completely inability to block/disable ads. It's bad enough I already have to deal with it on my Xbox, my smart TV, and my non-Apple products. FFS - what option do we have as consumers?

If Apple is going to go down this route of nickel-and-diming, profit maximization, at least let the salty luddites (AKA me) pay some sort of 'no ads' fee. $10 a month? I'd pay.

YouTube and Gmail has an option to pay for ad-free. For the former, $12 a month for individual plan, or $23 a month for the YouTube Premium Family plan which is for up to 6 people. Both also come with extra storage space (for the family plan I'm on, the account holder isn't asking me to pay my share, they use A LOT of that extra space for Google Photos, so I'm fine that they ask me not to use that), YouTube Music (I was never really into music subscriptions. Sirius XM I do have since it works for those trips I pass areas with low to no internet coverage).

You can also use ad-blockers against YouTube ads. I'm told it's not difficult, but I use YouTube across 4 different devices (2 to 3 primary ones), and nm I'd have to set up 4 different times.. not sure how well ad-blockers work with Chrombook, and on a Windows computer without admin privileges (my office workstation).

Not sure what Gmail's deal is, but I leave it on the free version since it's worked for me.

 

[brofkand]

Ok, how do we get away from this? What company isn't doing it?

They all are but it erases a reason to buy a $130+ Apple tv versus a $25 Roku stick.

 

[Zonck]

They all are but it erases a reason to buy a $130+ Apple tv versus a $25 Roku stick.

This, this, this.

The ‘Apple Tax’ was a premium for UX and no ads. Now I might as well get the cheapest option if there’s no tangible difference.

 

[vegetassj4]

View attachment 2107465If you think this is bad, you should see the prototype Apple TV I’m using.

dammit, you beat me to the Idiocracy punch by like 2 minutes.