Apple Releases iOS 12.3 With New TV App and Channels Feature

[AutomaticApple]

Apple today released iOS 12.3, the third major update to the iOS 12 operating system that first launched in September 2018. iOS 12.3 comes over a month after the release of iOS 12.2, an update that introduced the Apple News+ service, brought new Animoji, and included dozens of other changes.

The iOS 12.3 update is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update. As with all iOS updates, iOS 12.3 is free to download, but it may take some time for iOS 12.3 to propagate to all iOS users.

Much of the iOS 12.3 update focuses on the TV app, which has been overhauled and enhanced with a new look and fresh functionality. Apple first introduced the updated TV app at its March 25 event, and after several weeks of beta testing, the new app is ready for its launch.

In the overhauled TV app, "Watch Now" and "Up Next" are still front and center for keeping track of the TV shows and movies that you're watching, but there's a new machine learning-based recommendation engine that offers up customized content suggestions based on your viewing preferences and history.

The TV app's interface has been streamlined with sections for movies, TV shows, sports, and children's content, and on iOS devices, there's a bottom navigation bar for accessing the library, search, and Watch Now options.

Apple added a new "Channels" feature in the TV app, which is a major component of the company's new services push. Channels are subscription services that you can sign up for and watch within the TV app without having to open up another app, and when you use them, Apple gets a cut of the subscription revenue.

As an example, if you come across a show you want to watch on iPhone or Apple TV that's on HBO, Showtime, or Starz and you don't already have a subscription, you can tap to subscribe right in the TV app and then watch the show right away without having to open a third-party app.

Some of the new Channels that will be supported include Acorn TV, CBS All Access, Starz, Showtime, HBO, Nickelodeon, Mubi, Tastemade, Cinemax, Sundance, EPIX, Smithsonian, The History Channel Vault, and Comedy Central Now.

You're still going to get recommendations for content from services that aren't part of the Channels feature, but non-channel content will still need to be watched in a third-party app. You'll also find all of your iTunes TV shows and movies available in the TV app, and you can purchase new content too.

The new Apple TV app is available in more than 100 countries starting today, and with Family Sharing, up to six family members are able to share subscriptions to Apple TV channels. Channels content can be watched both online or offline.

Today's update also includes support for AirPlay 2-enabled TVs, allowing you to AirPlay content like TV shows and movies to compatible television sets from companies like LG, Samsung, Vizio, and more. When Apple's Apple TV+ service launches this fall, you'll be able to watch all of Apple's original TV shows and movies in the TV app as well as existing content.

Article Link: Apple Releases iOS 12.3 With New TV App and Channels Feature

I'll go update my devices.

 

[AlphaGuitarist]

Hmm. iTunes 12.6.5.3 does nothing when I tell it to check for an update for my 12.2 10.5" iPad. It doesn't even say none is available. The iPad (on WiFi) knows that 12.3 is available. Is this the end of the line for the old iTunes?

It says 12.2 is the current version for my iPhone SE, so I guess it is still alive. The phone itself thinks there is an update.

Weird.

Same here. iTunes says that 12.2 is the current version for my iPhone X, so I resorted to downloading the update over my employer's extremely slow WiFi.

 

[clayj]

Who the **** needs AppleTV? What about bug fixes and stability improvement? Jesus!

"This update also includes bug fixes and improvements."

 

[Rogifan]

I still don’t get the point of the TV app. If I want to watch something from HBO I’ll just launch the HBO app. Does Apple really think that many people will sign up for HBO, Showtime etc. via their TV app? Im skeptical. Now if they packaged all the “channels” together and gave you a deal for that maybe it would be more interesting. But then we’re back to bundles that everybody supposedly hates.

 

[JessWinter]

Why can't MacRumors link to the official release and security notes from Apple? So anal about being first to post but can't even get the links out there... c'mon.

 

[AppleMad98004]

Apple always adds bug fixes etc... the problem is they SUCK at release notes. The should have detailed release notes with bug ID and fixed etc... no different that other companies like Cisco, etc

They don't want the masses and press to see the amount of bugs there really are in total in each release is my guess.

 

[NMBob]

Same here. iTunes says that 12.2 is the current version for my iPhone X, so I resorted to downloading the update over my employer's extremely slow WiFi.

I wonder if iTunes will still be able to talk to it? I'll let you go first.

 

[gansan]

I'd be interested to know at what bitrate Apple streams HBO content. As all GoT fans know, HBOGo/Now is pretty low quality streaming. Amazon's HBO streaming is a better bitrate than HBOGo/Now, but only a little bit better, so I'd be curious to see how Apple's offering compares.

After watching the infamous dark battle on the PS4 and being quite disappointed with the smudging and crushed blacks, I went back and rewatched the scene with an ATV4. It had significantly better shadow detail. Not perfect of course, but better. So it probably at least different than the PS4.

 

[amyers]

The lack of a "See All" button on the Up Next selection drives me crazy.

 

[eagleglen]

If you already subscribe to some of the premium channels, like HBO or CBS All Access, can you log into them in the Apple channel version? I’ve seen some comments elsewhere that HBO’s quality is better from Apple, but I receive HBO from free from my cellphone carrier, so I don’t want to subscribe from Apple.

 

[AMTYVLE]

What is the point of this new TV app? I just installed iOS 12.3 and launched the TV app on my iPhone. Tapped on a show for the Food Network and guess what...? The TV app told me to download the Food Network app. I thought this new TV app was suppose to eliminate that?

 

[ipedro]

Updated in Canada. Only one Apple TV Channel available: Acorn TV.

I'd love to subscribe to news channels like MSNBC or to Crave TV directly through the Apple TV app.

 

[anthdci]

Just bloody updated 70 work iPads ready for student exams. Really don't want them nagging there is an update during the exam. Wifi is rubbish where they are stored, its taken me 2 days to do them all and now I have to do them all again. Just hope jamf can get some of them done overnight for me.

 

[Alan Gordon]

What is the point of this new TV app? I just installed iOS 12.3 and launched the TV app on my iPhone. Tapped on a show for the Food Network and guess what...? The TV app told me to download the Food Network app. I thought this new TV app was suppose to eliminate that?

Channels subscribed to through Apple can be viewed through the TV app. It does not eliminate the need for separate apps from other subscription services.
[doublepost=1557770353][/doublepost]

If you already subscribe to some of the premium channels, like HBO or CBS All Access, can you log into them in the Apple channel version? I’ve seen some comments elsewhere that HBO’s quality is better from Apple, but I receive HBO from free from my cellphone carrier, so I don’t want to subscribe from Apple.

No, you cannot.

 

[ipedro]

What is the point of this new TV app? I just installed iOS 12.3 and launched the TV app on my iPhone. Tapped on a show for the Food Network and guess what...? The TV app told me to download the Food Network app. I thought this new TV app was suppose to eliminate that?

It'll take a while for providers to switch over. There are now two ways for content providers to play their shows on Apple TV.

1) An app. This is the original way where there's an app for each channel. Content played through the AppleTV app opens the content app.
2) AppleTV Channel. Content providers can now create channels within the Apple TV app. Users can subscribe directly from within the app and access all the content from all the channels they subscribe to without leaving the app.

The new way will lead to less clutter and a more refined experience where the user always sees the same UI rather than dozens of apps with their own UI's.

 

[decypher44]

Anyone else stuck on “Preparing Update” for a really long time??

 

[AMTYVLE]

Channels subscribed to through Apple can be viewed through the TV app. It does not eliminate the need for separate apps from other subscription services.

So hold on. I have DirecTV at home. I own an Apple TV and have Food Network and other apps installed to watch shows on my Apple TV. But if I use the TV App on my iPhone, Food Network comes up, I tap on a show, tap Play....shouldn't it play in the Apple TV app now...? I still need to download the Food Network app on my iPhone?

 

[cknibbs]

I'm super excited for this release as it includes localized Siri requests, Multi-User HomePod support, not needing to say "Hey Siri" between everything... oh wait. My Bad. Seriously Apple get it together. I'm about one disappointing keynote away from going to the dark side.

 

[Alan Gordon]

I still don’t get the point of the TV app. If I want to watch something from HBO I’ll just launch the HBO app. Does Apple really think that many people will sign up for HBO, Showtime etc. via their TV app? Im skeptical. Now if they packaged all the “channels” together and gave you a deal for that maybe it would be more interesting. But then we’re back to bundles that everybody supposedly hates.

There are several advantages... one being the awesome "Up Next" feature which brings content together from multiple sources, like Hulu, Amazon Prime, CBS All Access, as well as others (like the HBO app you mentioned). It's a great way to keep track of the shows and movies you view.

 

[AlphaGuitarist]

I wonder if iTunes will still be able to talk to it? I'll let you go first.

iTunes is now seeing the update, but my phone just finished downloading it. Installing right now.

 

[Alan Gordon]

So hold on. I have DirecTV at home. I own an Apple TV and have Food Network and other apps installed to watch shows on my Apple TV. But if I use the TV App on my iPhone, Food Network comes up, I tap on a show, tap Play....shouldn't it play in the Apple TV app now...? I still need to download the Food Network app on my iPhone?

Correct.

Only channels subscribed to through Apple Channels will not require a third party app.

 

[BryanJ]

my $329 iPad downloaded and prepared the update about 25% faster then my iPhone XS

 

[ck2875]

I can honestly say I hate the TV app’s change to wide rectangle icons for movies. What exactly was wrong with using movie posters? I would be a lot less annoyed with half the images weren’t being pulled in for the wrong version of the films (using the same images for both standard and extended releases, etc.). Then half the time you can’t even read the tiny text they’re using on the images.

Not having the letter scrubber on the right side is also making it a pain to go through a large library.

 

[AMTYVLE]

Correct.

Makes no sense then. Back to my original question....what is the point of this new TV app if I still need to download the channel apps such as Food Network, Bravo, etc.? I thought we didn't need to do that and the content would play in Apple's TV app now.

 

[axantas]

Hideous interface for my own library.
What on earth did they do to that nice "Videos"-App? Some HUGE icons for all the movies stuff, I can buy at Apple, a SINGLE line of movies I may scroll for the movies I loaded myself (leaving 70% of the screen empty), some tiny icons of my own movies in the library, that are categorized in some way, with a huge, almost empty category-menue to the left, which can not be removed, a vertical list of "loaded" movies with even tinier icons with a HUGE "delete movie" marker to the right, including a menue covering about 50% of the screen to look at "categories", which only use 50% of the furthermore empty left side of the screen. Furthermore some garbled German/English text with "Genres" all displayed in English. Furthermore all movie titles aligned to the FAR left - which looks particularly nice on movies like "It".
Oh: the "genres" - No chance to see a movie without a "genre" unless you use the list "movies". And: on an iPhone (not on iPad) you may sort movies by "genre" displaying the tagged ones on top and everything untagged in a big heap at the end of the list.

Do they actually have a look at the output of their programming or are they just coding it? I mean type "run" at the End of the process and see, what it looks like is not too much of an effort.

About time to have a look for some third-party movie-library app...
If you think, it can not get worse anymore - it gets even worse than in your worst nightmare...

...but a clear new strategy, concerning the gorgeous new color collection of watch bands.

Apple just got a harsh feedback on that completely hideous new app-interface from me. Please join me...