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Apple TV Universal Search Expands to Nickelodeon and Spike, TV App Now Supports Crackle and More

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple has added Spike and Nickelodeon, including Nick Jr., to the universal search function on the fourth-generation Apple TV.

apple-tv-app-hero-800x490.jpg

For those unfamiliar with universal search, it allows users to use Siri or input text-based searches to find TV and movie content across a wide range of channels. At launch, universal search only supported a few channels, but Apple has been rapidly expanding the feature to encompass additional channels.

Apple TV universal search is available for a wide number of apps in the United States, but the feature is limited to iTunes, Netflix, and a few other services in Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Elsewhere, only movies in iTunes are supported.

Relatedly, Apple's new TV app now supports the apps Crackle, Filmstruck, and Freeform on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.

Article Link: Apple TV Universal Search Expands to Nickelodeon and Spike, TV App Now Supports Crackle and More
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/05/01/apple-tv-search-adds-nickelodeon-spike/
HiRez said:
But still no Netflix, so...

Also, where is that Amazon Prime Video app on my Apple TV?
Click to expand...

That's pretty pathetic. Roku has had the ability to search Netflix/amazon/hulu/vudu/"insert app here" for about 3 years now. Apple should just give up. Roku has won the set-top box race.
 
Yay! Spike Tv! .... oh yeah. But I "forgot" that, for some strange reason, I have to AirPlay video from the Spike TV app on my iPhone or iPad because, for some strange reason, Comcast/Xfinity isn't a provider on the Apple TV.

Same with MTV app. Apple needs to figure this dumb **** out along with adding more support within Universal TV if they are to ever convince me to turn the dumb TV app back on.

I avoid the Tv app because it only gets in my way of getting to the content I want to watch. It's nice to see apps added, but since those apps have other things blocking me, I still can't use the TV app. It's all just a waste of space for me.
 
Universal search has worked with Netflix from day one.. Maybe it's the new TV app you're thinking about?

HiRez said:
But still no Netflix, so...

Also, where is that Amazon Prime Video app on my Apple TV?
Click to expand...

MacRumors said:



Apple has added Spike and Nickelodeon, including Nick Jr., to the universal search function on the fourth-generation Apple TV.

For those unfamiliar with universal search, it allows users to use Siri or input text-based searches to find TV and movie content across a wide range of channels. At launch, universal search only supported a few channels, but Apple has been rapidly expanding the feature to encompass additional channels.

Apple TV universal search is available for a wide number of apps in the United States, but the feature is limited to iTunes, Netflix, and a few other services in Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Elsewhere, only movies in iTunes are supported.

Relatedly, Apple's new TV app now supports the apps Crackle, Filmstruck, and Freeform on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.

Article Link: Apple TV Universal Search Expands to Nickelodeon and Spike, TV App Now Supports Crackle and More
Click to expand...
 
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profets said:
Universal search has worked with Netflix from day one.. Maybe it's the new TV app you're thinking about?
Click to expand...
Yeah, you're right, I still get those 2 confused. And I'm not really sure why they're not the same thing (or at least return the same results) -- shouldn't they be?
 
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marty1980 said:
Yay! Spike Tv! .... oh yeah. But I "forgot" that, for some strange reason, I have to AirPlay video from the Spike TV app on my iPhone or iPad because, for some strange reason, Comcast/Xfinity isn't a provider on the Apple TV.

Same with MTV app. Apple needs to figure this dumb **** out along with adding more support within Universal TV if they are to ever convince me to turn the dumb TV app back on.

I avoid the Tv app because it only gets in my way of getting to the content I want to watch. It's nice to see apps added, but since those apps have other things blocking me, I still can't use the TV app. It's all just a waste of space for me.
Click to expand...
You not being able to login to Spike, MTV or any other app without Comcast has nothing to do with Apple. It has everything to do with the fact that Comcast isn't playing nice with Viacom (who owns Spike and MTV) and needs to re-work their terms.

That being said, I agree completely with your comment about the TV app being dumb.
 
besler3035 said:
You not being able to login to Spike, MTV or any other app without Comcast has nothing to do with Apple. It has everything to do with the fact that Comcast isn't playing nice with Viacom (who owns Spike and MTV) and needs to re-work their terms.

That being said, I agree completely with your comment about the TV app being dumb.
Click to expand...

I just don't understand why on iPhone and iPad, the UNIVERSAL apps for both MTV and Spike list Comcast/XFinity.

So why is it that the provider is somehow removed from the TV version? Is it Apple or the provider(s) or all the above. I blame them all and its irritating that I have to use AirPlay as the workaround. I just keep hoping they don't remove that option at some point too!

This is a HUGE problem if providers are purposefully blocking themselves from the Apple TV audience yet allowing access on Apple's mobile devices. How does this even make sense?
 
Have cbs app for local news. But can't get History and A&E apps to log on with Direct TV. Follow all the directions but keeps going to Foxsportsgo. What am I doing wrong?
 
HiRez said:
Yeah, you're right, I still get those 2 confused. And I'm not really sure why they're not the same thing (or at least return the same results) -- shouldn't they be?
Click to expand...

That's a good thought. I think it would be a bit difficult as universal search will send you to the app where the content is located, while the TV app aggregates content and you no longer see those apps. Probably why Netflix hasn't joined.

Is the TV app even available outside of the US? I'm in Canada and we don't have it here anyway.
 
Derekuda said:
That's pretty pathetic. Roku has had the ability to search Netflix/amazon/hulu/vudu/"insert app here" for about 3 years now. Apple should just give up. Roku has won the set-top box race.
Click to expand...

Netflix said they wouldn't support it, not Apple.
 
Bevz said:
Wake me up when it expands to Plex or any other service that contains local content.
Click to expand...

You are going to be sleeping for a long time.
[doublepost=1493693598][/doublepost]
NtDs90 said:
Have cbs app for local news. But can't get History and A&E apps to log on with Direct TV. Follow all the directions but keeps going to Foxsportsgo. What am I doing wrong?
Click to expand...

ok that's weird. Are you using a mobile device to log in? If so then try a computer instead.
 
I wish they wouldn't call this "universal search" when it's not universal. Seems apps have to opt in. Plex, as you all have said, but also hilariously, the "computers" app. TV app seems to ignore Netflix. Sometimes it finds a movie in Movies, with a Buy button, and a iTunes button, and then the iTunes button eventually wants me to buy it again, so i just navigate to the stupid Computers app and play it manually.

As a result, I guess I never really use Universal Search or TV. Neither one knows all the content, and therefore, why bother trying there first.
 
Bevz said:
Wake me up when it expands to Plex or any other service that contains local content.
Click to expand...
Why?
Really, I don't understand.
It is of no use to you if it doesn't index and return results on your personal media?
[doublepost=1493752906][/doublepost]
HiRez said:
But still no Netflix, so...

Also, where is that Amazon Prime Video app on my Apple TV?
Click to expand...
What???
So this was in the story,
"Apple TV universal search is available for a wide number of apps in the United States, but the feature is limited to iTunes, Netflix, and a few other services in Canada..."
So, yes it is part of the U.S. searchable apps.
[doublepost=1493753539][/doublepost]
thisisnotmyname said:
Still no way to search "Computers" though.
Click to expand...
I see my computer files, pictures, music, movies, and TV shows on my Apple TV.
Maybe your Apple TV and computer aren't on the same home WiFi network. Or perhaps you don't have home sharing turned on, on your computer.
 
marty1980 said:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207254

A currently, not-so-great attempt to provide an app that visually represents what Universal Search provides.

The TV app is meant to be a hub for content from all of your video apps. So you don't need to look through all of your apps to find something to watch. If you have an iPhone or iPad with iOS 10+, you have the app on your device.
Click to expand...
Thanks for explaining the joke that is that the TV app isn't available for anyone except a single country.
 
AZ63 said:
Why?
Really, I don't understand.
It is of no use to you if it doesn't index and return results on your personal media?
[doublepost=1493752906][/doublepost]
What???
So this was in the story,
"Apple TV universal search is available for a wide number of apps in the United States, but the feature is limited to iTunes, Netflix, and a few other services in Canada..."
So, yes it is part of the U.S. searchable apps.
[doublepost=1493753539][/doublepost]
I see my computer files, pictures, music, movies, and TV shows on my Apple TV.
Maybe your Apple TV and computer aren't on the same home WiFi network. Or perhaps you don't have home sharing turned on, on your computer.
Click to expand...

I have home sharing turned on and it works fine, Siri search just doesn't search that content. That's frustrating given that I converted a substantial old DVD/BluRay library into iTunes.
 
thisisnotmyname said:
I have home sharing turned on and it works fine, Siri search just doesn't search that content. That's frustrating given that I converted a substantial old DVD/BluRay library into iTunes.
Click to expand...
Ah, got it. I have lots of the same as well. I am not a programmer so I don't know, but it may be too difficult to code to query information when it may not be in the same location on every machine, or be written into the file the same way. Maybe if there were a detailed way to set it up so that Siri could index it but the population that do what we do is probably way too small to justify the cost of going to that level of integration.
However, I agree it would be a nice addition.
[doublepost=1493830434][/doublepost]
ErikGrim said:
Thanks for explaining the joke that is that the TV app isn't available for anyone except a single country.
Click to expand...
So, if any app that is created doesn't service every country/language on day one then the app should not be released?
 
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