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Hands-On With Apple's New TV App in iOS 12.3 and tvOS 12.3

I’m assuming this is just for cord-cutters? I have DirecTV and my smart TV is Roku. If I want to watch Netflix, HBO or something else on demand I just pull up that channel/app. I can’t see myself ever using this, even if it does come to Roku smart TVs as a channel/app.

Also if Apple doesn’t come up with some kind of bundle for all of these new services they’re going to fail. Nobody is going to pay $50 (or more) a month for all of this plus iCloud and whatever their monthly installment is for iPhone. And that’s assuming all these services are priced at $9.99. It’s possible Apple TV+ could be more. And then add on top of that Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Disney etc. And your phone bill and your internet bill (which becomes more expensive as you need bigger data plans since you’re streaming everything now). Add all that up and the cable bundle doesn’t seem so bad does it.
 
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mrklaw said:
so how does this work with existing third party apps? Eg showtime was an example given. I assume there is a separate showtime app, and previously you could search for content in the TV app, do 'up next' and 'continue watching' and it'd link out to the app to play something.

So now you can do all that without linking out - so you don't even need the showtime app installed? If so this feels like Apple leveraging their power after bringing all the third parties together to add value to their TV app, now they're cutting out that middle man.

If this takes off, they'll own both the playback and the discovery part - third parties will increasingly become just content providers. For some that might be ok, but for others they will want to editorialise and control how their content is surfaced to users - and increasingly that will be difficult/impossible.
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If it's like Amazon Prime subscriptions, if you subscribed via the 3rd party app you don't have access to the Prime channels.
 
MEJHarrison said:
I've been using it with DirecTV satellite for 2-3 years now. For the most part, it works great. I had some trouble with the Starz app, but I think it was on them, not DirecTV.
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But can you use MSNBC on the Apple tv app and authenticate with Directv? Cause i still cannot. And when i reached out to Directv. It is cause they said that Directv isn’t set up to authenticate the MSNBC app as of yet. And they had no time table of when they would. So they suggested i keep airplaying that channel when i needed it.
 
Jamie0003 said:
Anyone have any info of what all this will mean for us UK users? The selection of apps available for the current TV app is pretty terrible, and we obviously aren’t going to get stuff like Hulu.
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It would appear that it'll be identical to today. i.e. useless.

Maybe we'll also get a spammy row of Apple's own productions even if we don't subscribe.
 
Tomapple said:
So... does it support NETFLIX or not?

With this I mean if Netflix content appear in searches and recommendations. I don't care if once you select the show it opens the Netflix app. I only care that its content is displayed in the app within the content of all the other streaming services. Is that so?
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Apple can't really fix this - it was/is Netflix's decision not to opt in, and to push people into their app.
 
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Literally the only addition that matters at all is native playback directly in the TV app, and that feature doesn't exist yet...and probably not until/unless individual apps update for it.
 
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I'd like to see better browsing and search in TV+. My current use case on apple TV is to use the movie app find what I want to watch, then go to the TV app search for the movie I found and see if it's available free or cheaper with another service. Then buy or rent accordingly. One app that did this all would be a better experience for me.
 
HiRez said:
We don't know yet, but I'm going to guess there will be no discounts at all for these channels. I think Apple's idea is to just consolidate everything into one app (which they tried to do with the original Apple TV app) and add more options for getting content (ie. channel sign ups). I bet you HBO, Stars, etc. are the same price they are everywhere else although I hope I'm wrong. If that's the case, is this really a big deal?

Still disappointed Netflix won't be integrated, but I do like that Sony is on board for the Vue service because the Vue ATV app is really garbage, hopefully the TV app will be better with UI.

I'm also wondering how integrated these channels are, for example can I set and see grouped "season passes" or "DVRed" (in Sony's parlance) shows, or does it not go that deep and it's just integrating search results?
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We'll see, but absent a discount it probably makes more sense for consumers to buy their channels outside the app where possible, so the companies responsible for the content don't have to surrender a share of their intake to Apple.
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EdT said:
I hope Apple has more than what I've seen announced so far for options/choices. I don't need Amazon or Netflix part deux, and if that's what I want about 10 or more streaming services already do or soon will exist. What does Apple plan to offer or integrate into their service that I can't get elsewhere? I don't know what magic option is required for me to be interested in a streaming service but I know I haven't seen it yet from anyone.
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If you don't need the service, you don't need it. It certainly doesn't make sense to get a service like this just because Apple is responsible for it.
 
I can't find a way to Pull TBS LIVE that stinks.
I still have to go out of the Apple tv app and watch it LIVE.

scottct1 said:
Been playing with it on my iPhone for a few hours and I am not really impressed.

Easier to go into the channel apps directly and watch from there. And I am not seeing any live channels.
Hope it gets better.
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ErikGrim said:
What do you mean? Apple TV has always had 15s rewind / forward. Just click the left and right edge of the tap surface.
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you may nneed to rest your thumb on the edge for the 15s forward/backward icon to appear.
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Chopper9 said:
Worthless without Netflix and Hulu integration.
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hulu integrates into tv app. I can't speak for the hulu tv thing.
 
Macaddict16 said:
Anyone here use WatchAid?

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/watchaid-tv-show-planner/id1098010920#?platform=appleTV

I use this to track my shows via the various streaming services. It sounds like the TV app update is similar to this? I am happy with WatchAid as it tracks across all streaming platforms and is easy to use.

Can anyone else that uses WatchAid and has access to the new beta compare the two?

Thanks!
Macaddict16
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I've tried WatchAid a few times and it never seems to work for me. I mainly use Plex for my stuff so I really see no point.
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markgpearse said:
Cut the cord and sign up for multiple streaming services adding up to 100s per month
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...or Hulu at $12. Netflix at $12.

Not really "100s" unless you literally need to sign up for every service possible.
 
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HiRez said:
If that's the case, is this really a big deal?
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The answer is no. The rest of this is just minor UI and UX improvements. All stuff that could have waited for tvOS 13.

A big deal would be Apple subsidizing video content so that its customers could get reasonable pricing on multiple services. But so far they have failed to deliver that.
 
I don't understand the desire for an all in one app. What in the world is the point of downloading apps on an apple tv if they want you to only use this tv app?? It stinks. If i want to watch Hulu for example, I go to the hulu app. Isn't this why many hate itunes on the mac or PC? Bloated?

I bought 24 the complete (sue me, i like that show..lol) series recently on itunes. Trying to watch this has been a pain because it's also on amazon prime now. But this series, under seasons, has season one, two three, and at the end has another season called "complete" which is what i purchased. The TV app is going crazy trying to make sense of that. I've clicked on "up next" for the next episode and get a completely different episode or it errors out. Finally i said screw it and just went to amazon's app.

I have all these recommendations from the likes of Hulu which i don't sub to. Open in itunes or hulu? Why are you asking me this..i don't have hulu.

Man, I just want an itunes app that is decent for APPLE content. Auto play. That can actually keep track of where you're at in a series. What I don't want is recommendations for stuff I don't own or want to own.
 
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pipis2010 said:
Why can't Apple just bundle everything together and charge a fixed amount every month, so that EVERYONE (Globally) can have access to all these channels? I don't understand - isn't it beneficial for these channels as well? (I know they are usually offered via satelite/cable providers, but why can't we have the option to have these also via Apple?
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Because Apple doesn't own those services and can't dictate -at least to the larger or more popular ones-how much those companies charge for their products and services. Apple had somewhat of a monopoly for a time with digital music, as they made deals before those companies comprehended what the value of the music rights they owned was, and they could tell record companies what to do and what to charge, at least to an extent. They don't have that with music anymore and they are the really really really late comers to video streaming services, so there isn't any way that they can arbitrarily impose prices on these outside companies.
 
pipis2010 said:
Why can't Apple just bundle everything together and charge a fixed amount every month, so that EVERYONE (Globally) can have access to all these channels? I don't understand - isn't it beneficial for these channels as well? (I know they are usually offered via satelite/cable providers, but why can't we have the option to have these also via Apple?
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So basically instead of paying Comcast you want to pay Apple instead?
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cardfan said:
I don't understand the desire for an all in one app. What in the world is the point of downloading apps on an apple tv if they want you to only use this tv app?? It stinks. If i want to watch Hulu for example, I go to the hulu app. Isn't this why many hate itunes on the mac or PC? Bloated?

I bought 24 the complete (sue me, i like that show..lol) series recently on itunes. Trying to watch this has been a pain because it's also on amazon prime now. But this series, under seasons, has season one, two three, and at the end has another season called "complete" which is what i purchased. The TV app is going crazy trying to make sense of that. I've clicked on "up next" for the next episode and get a completely different episode or it errors out. Finally i said screw it and just went to amazon's app.

I have all these recommendations from the likes of Hulu which i don't sub to. Open in itunes or hulu? Why are you asking me this..i don't have hulu.

Man, I just want an itunes app that is decent for APPLE content. Auto play. That can actually keep track of where you're at in a series. What I don't want is recommendations for stuff I don't own or want to own.
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Going to one place is essentially re-creating cable. Everyone wanted unbundled and now want bundled again. I haven’t cut the cord yet because it’s simpler not to.
 
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Since HBO is already working with Apple I think its safe to say all ATT Time Warner Content will have a channel. I think there is a chance Hulu will get on board with this same with Disney+ and ESPN +. Apple should work with Disney so that viewers don't have to leave the TV app but can experience UI that a company like Disney designs for there service. They likely will do creative things there. Apple will have to buy Netflix for a Netflix Channel unfortunately. I actually could see that happening years down the road. There is a lot of competition coming for Netflix.
 
NinjaHERO said:
I remember when all of my media was in the Itunes app. Loved it. Super convenient. then Apple decided to break that app apart into lots of little apps. Pain in the butt, but I got used to it. I wonder if the Apple TV will slowly start to bring some things back together.
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The main problem I see with this combined services TV app is unless you have a reasonably fast IP connection when roaming, its not able to show your possible selections except a forever stalled state never seeing the results, for example TV shows or your library. I actually like to see this app be more of a intelligent gateway to all the frequently updated apps in iOS not as a replacement for TV/Itunes and everything else that Apple wants to combine across platforms. Maybe they will improve this app greatly as feedback is given. Oh yeah have no need to wait for sports and kids so yeah option to not display that content to speed things up. :cool:
 
Chopper9 said:
Worthless without Netflix and Hulu integration.
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Hulu, along with about 100 other apps, already integrates with the TV app, including its Up Next watchlist. Netflix is the only major on-demand subscription service that doesn't work with it. So basically, I maintain two watchlists, one in Netflix and one in the TV app for everything else. I'd probably watch Netflix more if their shows were integrated along with everything else in the TV app.
 
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