For reasons unknown, Apple is forcing people to do an iOS update to v26 in order to be able to watch F1 on iOS devices. Given that ATV app is just a player, there should be no technical requirement to upgrade iOS and, given lots of unfavourable feedback about v26, lots of people may not be keen to do so.
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Formula 1
- Thread starter IvanX
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FreakinEurekan
macrumors G3
Haven't heard of this - but I'm running 26 already so wouldn't have noticed myself.
What's the message you get if you try to open F1 on iOS 18?
What's the message you get if you try to open F1 on iOS 18?
There is no Formula 1 in the TV app's sidebar. And any external link to that content shows a message that says content has been removed.
aihpcfl
macrumors regular
I hadn't heard of this either. But I reinstalled the TV app on an XS running 18.7.6 and looked. When I scroll down in the app I see a plug for F1. It reads "Apple TV is the new home of Formula 1 ... Update your software so you can experience every Grand Prix" and there is an Update Now button.
The only thing I can think of, but can't explain it, is it has something to do with licensing and iOS 18 is lacking some capability. FWIW I've watched programs with a VPN enabled, but can't use the VPN with F1. My thought is that might be related to why F1 isn't available on older iOS versions.
EDIT: It isn't licensing related. What I found searching is that the F1 interface uses new Apple TV frameworks (UI components and streaming features). A term that comes up is 'technical cutoff'. So, apparently, it is about technical requirements of the F1 interface.
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FreakinEurekan
macrumors G3
OK, that makes sense. I thought the OP was referring to the movie F1, not the races. Didn’t make sense that a movie would require something new… But I can see needing the new frameworks for the races/interface.
Hmm 🤔 so why is it possible to watch in Safari on the same "Apple TV app-incompatible" iOS version through tv.apple.com?
aihpcfl
macrumors regular
Don’t know. Except obviously it is a different player, right? But that is something you could search on and figure out.
And it also begs the question of why they didn't make it backward-compatible with the player that they use for MLS and MLB content. It's not obvious what new stuff they need v26 that seems to be just fine for all other content on older iOS versions.
FreakinEurekan
macrumors G3
There is no mystery when the most obvious answer is: they wanted to use F1 to boost iOS upgrade adoption. Also, ATV within Prime works just fine on sub-26 iOS.
venom600
macrumors 65816
DO yourself a favor and don't watch F1 in the Apple TV app. Watch it in the actual F1 app. Why? The video is recorded in 50hz and Apple converts it to 60, so you get HORRIBLE motion stuttering. ESPN did the same thing, but now we can link the Apple TV account to the F1 app, so you can watch in native 50hz, which looks far smoother. The only thing you lose is the ability to watch the Sky Sports feed (the same one ESPN used for the last decade).
I watch pre and post Sky Sports stuff in the ATV app and the main sessions themselves in the F1 TV app where I can switch to international audio feed that's the Sky F1 audio to get best of both.
pnoozi
macrumors member
You absolutely can get the Sky feed in F1 TV. Just select English - International (although it may not be present on all replays, highlights, etc…)
venom600
macrumors 65816
I didn't know that! I watched on ESPN for as long as they had it, so I missed Crofty, Brundle, Karun, etc when I watched the official F1 feed with their commentators. One thing I noticed was that the Sky video feed during non race events has commercials, but they seem to be American commercials.
You can also get Sky audio feed in F1 TV app's international audio option. Sky F1's commercial breaks are of pre-set duration, so Apple just splices in their pre-built packages of ads. Apple's simulcast of the Sky feed is their international version that goes to many other broadcasters around the world, so showing British ads during those makes little sense.
Thanks to all of you who pointed out how to get back to the Sky feed. The Apple TV version is terribly disappointing. The commentary is a disaster. It seems like the commentators are trying to be the center of attention rather than focusing on the action itself. They may have a long association with the sport but it's the sport itself I'm interested in. They detract from the action rather than enhancing it, just like news broadcasters. And why are some of the video shots so short. They look like stills rather than conveying the particular race action. Furthermore, why has the Apple TV version dropped the audio interaction between drivers and their support. Those short inclusions bring tremendous insight into what the drivers are thinking, including abnormal information on their cars, incidents with their fellow drivers, and the weather they're encountering.
Genelec8341
macrumors regular
Yeah Ruth is so annoying. Wasn't she engaged or married last year briefly? 😆
While I'll always miss Hobbs and company's commentary, today's Sky commentary is so much better than the alternative.
While I'll always miss Hobbs and company's commentary, today's Sky commentary is so much better than the alternative.
This is still available in a given driver's onboard feed within the F1 TV's app that ATV have complimentary Premium tier access to. As for what gets played during the main sessions, that's up to FOM that produce the world feed that everyone gets. Between certain fruity language not too long ago and frustrations over the new cars, I wouldn't surprised if they reduced the number of team radio snippets to avoid bad publicity or needing to bleep as much stuff out as before.