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How would you improve tvOS?

2

2010mini

macrumors 601
Original poster
Jun 19, 2013
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As the header says, how would you improve tvOS for the masses?

For me, I would like tvOS to have a curation feature like Apple Music. Which will compile content based on what I have bought, watched or liked. This should be ready for on the home screen.

What's your suggestions?
 
  • More modern audio codec support than 1991's Dolby Digital (doesn't matter to me if any of that appears in the online store)
  • Make fundamental functions like fast forward and rewind work near flawlessly as one expects
  • Resurrect great features of the :apple:TV OS from prior models. Even little stuff like using the "Show" tag to better group serialized movies (Star Wars, Harry Potter, etc) rather than listing each "episode" in a single long list
  • Go back to putting our own movies in a Movies menu, our own TV Shows in a TV Show menu, etc. "Computers" is not intuitive.
  • Quit prioritizing rentals & purchases.
  • Universal (across all apps) on-screen guide to anything live streaming via any app, all at-a-glance rather than requiring us to hop app to app in search of something to watch when we don't already know what we want to watch
  • 4K playback support to make video shot on iDevices "just works" playable on anyone's 4K TV (without forcing anyone to buy new TVs or download only 4K videos, etc)
  • Support attached or network storage for those that desire to cut the "always on" cord with some computer elsewhere in the house
  • Support for some kind of DVR-like functionality (cloud or local drive)
  • Normalize the USB port so that third party players can expand the hardware capabilities of the device in ways that Apple doesn't want to do themselves.
  • Plethora of discrete codes for universal remotes so that those can work better and control the unit in traditional ways.
  • Full web browser (Safari?) for :apple:TV
  • Dedicate talent to this hardware & software to fully compete with the dedicated talent at work for competitors. Apple has more money than any of them, yet those other guys seem to be making the strides with this kind of product. Why? My guess: FOCUS... as in, focused talent.
For :apple:TV5:
  • All of the above plus 4K 60fps HDR support at least on par with video quality of 4K HDR blu ray (whether there's any 4K in the iTunes store to rent or not, whether every single person's broadband connection is upgraded enough or not, whether "I" can see the difference or not, whether seating distances vs. screen size is true or not, whether "the chart" is valid or not, etc) And note (before this gets a bunch of pushback): making hardware capable of doing more doesn't force anyone to throw out perfectly good televisions, nor download only the biggest file size video, etc. Instead, it's just an OPTION for those ready to enjoy it now. Hardware capable of more than any one consumer needs does not force anything on those consumers.
  • Add back in an stereo analog audio out option for those with zone 2 receivers that require analog input
  • Launch the :apple:TV5 sooner than later... not 2-3 more years from now (whether there's 4K content in the store or not).
I'm sure there's more than these but that's just top of (my own) mind wishes.
 
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Wow that's a big list. It seems a lot of that is hardware related though.
 
-Get rid of auto resume on apps
-Add HDR
-Have an actual "back button"-What is with Apple not having a simple back button on anything.
 
• Open up the USB port.
• Siri in my language.
• Siri API.
• DTS support.
• Maps app.
• Put back the details of app updates.
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
More modern audio codec support than 1991's Dolby Digital
Click to expand...

You might not be aware the Apple TV 4 does indeed support Dolby Digital Plus (up to 7.1), currently the standard for streaming surround sound audio. ATV 4 also supports a variety of stereo formats, including uncompressed and lossless audio.

My top "wish" for improvement would be for iTunes itself to offer lossless or uncompressed audio files.
 
I wish Apple would create 1 app that would manage the content of all the network tv channels instead of having individual apps for all of them. Your single sign on credentials or other subscriptions would determine what content shows in the app (a customizable list of networks to include)- streaming section of all live channels available, then on demand content searchable by genre, network, etc.

I know this probably has more to do with the networks themselves, but if apple could pull it off, it could transition well from first requiring a cable subscription login, to eventually allowing you to subscribe through apple if they can ever make deals with the networks. I just hate searching through a bunch of separate apps that each have a small offering. I really only use them when I know what I'm looking for.
 
2010mini said:
Wow that's a big list. It seems a lot of that is hardware related though.
Click to expand...

Nope. 11-12 of 13 in the first list could be done with software enhancements.
[doublepost=1476448524][/doublepost]
JeffPerrin said:
You might not be aware the Apple TV 4 does indeed support Dolby Digital Plus (up to 7.1), currently the standard for streaming surround sound audio. ATV 4 also supports a variety of stereo formats, including uncompressed and lossless audio.
Click to expand...

I'm well aware... and glad Apple adopted "plus" too. But there are other standards considered newer and readily available on streaming boxes most obvious competitor for "best picture quality & sound." The point was that I'd like to see :apple:TV at least achieve an equal level of quality for both picture and sound (whether the stuff in the store exploits the improved hardware & software or not).

I'm OK with the "bag of hurt" stance but give us a hardware & software competitor to it so that that bag doesn't continue to have easy, certain claim to "best quality picture & sound." Many years have passed since that stance was taken- plenty of time to deliver a tangibly better replacement (again, whether content in the store exploits such features or not).
 
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T'hain Esh Kelch said:
• Open up the USB port.
• Siri in my language.
• Siri API.
• DTS support.
• Maps app.
• Put back the details of app updates.
Click to expand...

App update details is there

i hate phones said:
I wish Apple would create 1 app that would manage the content of all the network tv channels instead of having individual apps for all of them. Your single sign on credentials or other subscriptions would determine what content shows in the app (a customizable list of networks to include)- streaming section of all live channels available, then on demand content searchable by genre, network, etc.

I know this probably has more to do with the networks themselves, but if apple could pull it off, it could transition well from first requiring a cable subscription login, to eventually allowing you to subscribe through apple if they can ever make deals with the networks. I just hate searching through a bunch of separate apps that each have a small offering. I really only use them when I know what I'm looking for.
Click to expand...

That one app would be a "skinny bundle" like Sling TV.
[doublepost=1476451219][/doublepost]
HobeSoundDarryl said:
Nope. 11-12 of 13 in the first list could be done with software enhancements.
[doublepost=1476448524][/doublepost]

I'm well aware... and glad Apple adopted "plus" too. But there are other standards considered newer and readily available on streaming boxes most obvious competitor for "best picture quality & sound." The point was that I'd like to see :apple:TV at least achieve an equal level of quality for both picture and sound (whether the stuff in the store exploits the improved hardware & software or not).

I'm OK with the "bag of hurt" stance but give us a hardware & software competitor to it so that that bag doesn't continue to have easy, certain claim to "best quality picture & sound." Many years have passed since that stance was taken- plenty of time to deliver a tangibly better replacement (again, whether content in the store exploits such features or not).
Click to expand...


Not so sure a browser belongs on a tv. It's been done before and the experience is horrible. I currently have on on my Samsung tv.... used it once and deleted it.
 
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2010mini said:
Not so sure a browser belongs on a tv. It's been done before and the experience is horrible. I currently have on on my Samsung tv.... used it once and deleted it.
Click to expand...

Appreciate that, but AGAIN, you are not representative of everyone. Your original post was NOT asking "how to improve tvOS per what 2010mini likes?" If that's what you want, you don't need a post for that- just write down the changes you would like and stick it on a wall at your place. Your original question was opened to all- what would ANYONE like? Inevitably anyone is going to have some wants you don't personally favor.

More than just me would like to see a full web browser on :apple:TV. And that is just a software update (app) away if Apple could get motivated... OR let any of the other guys put their iOS browsers in the tvOS app store. Paired with a Bluetooth keyboard with touchpad and it becomes a nice little web browser on a big screen, able to access much more content that is not wrapped up within an app front-end. We can already do something similar with airplay but this would be another way to get at the same content without the "middleman."

Don't like it yourself? No problem. Don't download that app. But others might like it.
 
2010mini said:
As the header says, how would you improve tvOS for the masses?

For me, I would like tvOS to have a curation feature like Apple Music. Which will compile content based on what I have bought, watched or liked. This should be ready for on the home screen.

What's your suggestions?
Click to expand...

I'm easy. freaking movie poster view!!!!!!!!
 
- Multiple users

So you can quickly switch between a profile for you and one for your kids.

- Siri support

The biggest disappointment for me was setting up my Apple TV and discovering that even though the language is set to US English Siri was disabled because of my region. In contrast on my Apple Watch Siri dictates without problem in a number of languages.

- Remove the awful side scrolling

I hate the apps when you have to swipe in things from the side of the screen. The main Netflix screen is like that and it is ungodly.

- Fix the hold over minor bugs

There are a lot of small bugs that have been with ATV for some time. As I mentioned before I keep the AppleTV set to English for the language. Yet in the Movie store descriptions can appear in number of languages. Our local language and other random languages. I even managed to purchase an American movie recently that has "(Sous-titre en Français)" in it's title. I do not even speak French.

- Get serious about games

I think there was a good opportunity for Apple to press into games in a more serious manner. But it was squandered. They should try and rectify that by releasing an official game controller.
 
a browser interface would be nice and especially if you travel with an Apple TV and need to connect it to a hotel or a captive network and need to authenticate without access to a computer or dialing service for help.

Would love to see preview of apps/shows/etc with the screen real estate (i.e.; tv guide channel, etc) to quickly access the content and shows you want

apple could provide some subscription service using the existing apps/companies to deliver local content at a sub=premium rate.
 
ZMacintosh said:
a browser interface would be nice and especially if you travel with an Apple TV and need to connect it to a hotel or a captive network and need to authenticate without access to a computer or dialing service for help.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing they could add in a screen like what pops up for you to fill out these detail on iOS devices reasonably easily.

HobeSoundDarryl said:
  • Normalize the USB port so that third party players can expand the hardware capabilities of the device in ways that Apple doesn't want to do themselves.
Click to expand...
Hasn't happened in the last 4 iterations even though it was clearly possible so I honestly don't see it happening
[doublepost=1476523858][/doublepost]
mrex said:
a browser, ability to use skype etc apps...
Click to expand...
I assume you'll be wanting a camera too then?
 
kemperman said:
I'm guessing they could add in a screen like what pops up for you to fill out these detail on iOS devices reasonably easily.
Click to expand...

maybe, but the backend would still be webkit. so why not bring browsing functionality?

kemperman said:
I assume you'll be wanting a camera too then?
Click to expand...

A lot of displays have built in cameras or you can use a variation of desktop or other branded cameras that can be placed anywhere for conferencing, etc.



Also, PiP would be nice to be able to continue watching but search through other programs or games, etc. maybe even a queue list so you don't have to go through each app like Hulu/Netflix/etc you can add to your timed queue and let it play the automatically and switch over to that app in the background.
 
I forgot to add:

Notifications when a new episode/movie you want is available. I guess this would require some kind of dev kit for 3rd party services.
[doublepost=1476546037][/doublepost]

Ability to control Apple TV with home kit. Ex: Use Siri on iOS to say "Play Apple Music on Apple TV"
Or The ability for Apple TV to continue playing music I was listening to on the way home.

kemperman said:
I'm guessing they could add in a screen like what pops up for you to fill out these detail on iOS devices reasonably easily.

Hasn't happened in the last 4 iterations even though it was clearly possible so I honestly don't see it happening
[doublepost=1476523858][/doublepost]
I assume you'll be wanting a camera too then?
Click to expand...

Can be solved via Bluetooth as Apple is loathe to open up USB.
 
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