iOS 12.3 and tvOS 12.3 Betas Introduce Apple's New TV App

[MacRumors]

Earlier this week, Apple announced plans to debut an updated TV app in May, and as of today, that revamped app is available on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV in a beta capacity.

The new betas of iOS 12.3 and tvOS 12.3 both include the new TV app. The TV app is an updated version of the original TV app, housing movies, sports, news, and more all in one easy-to-access spot.

Apple still has the "Watch Now" feature for keeping track of what you're watching, which is offered alongside a new machine learning-based "For You" feature that offers recommended TV shows and movies based on what you like to watch.

To make recommendations, Apple will pull content from more than 150 streaming apps, like Hulu, Amazon Prime, DirecTV Now, PlayStation Vue, and more.

The TV app also has a new feature called Channels, which are subscription services that you can sign up for and watch all in the TV app without having to open another app. Some of the new Channels include CBS All Access, Starz, Showtime, HBO, Nickelodeon, Mubi, The History Channel Vault, and Comedy Central Now. During the beta, users can subscribe to Showtime, Starz, Smithsonian, and Tastemade.

In the future, the TV app will house Apple TV+, Apple's new streaming service that will feature all of its original TV shows and movies.

Update: Apple today also released new software designed for the third-generation Apple TV, and this software adds the updated Apple TV interface on the older set-top box.

Article Link: iOS 12.3 and tvOS 12.3 Betas Introduce Apple's New TV App

 

[camarobh]

Earlier this week, Apple announced plans to debut an updated TV app in May, and as of today, that revamped app is available on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV in a beta capacity.

The new betas of iOS 12.3 and tvOS 12.3 both include the new TV app. The TV app is an updated version of the original TV app, housing movies, sports, news, and more all in one easy-to-access spot.

Apple still has the "Watch Now" feature for keeping track of what you're watching, which is offered alongside a new machine learning-based "For You" feature that offers recommended TV shows and movies based on what you like to watch.

To make recommendations, Apple will pull content from more than 150 streaming apps, like Hulu, Amazon Prime, DirecTV Now, PlayStation Vue, and more.

The TV app also has a new feature called Channels, which are subscription services that you can sign up for and watch all in the TV app without having to open another app. Some of the new Channels include CBS All Access, Starz, Showtime, HBO, Nickelodeon, Mubi, The History Channel Vault, and Comedy Central Now.

In the future, the TV app will house Apple TV+, Apple's new streaming service that will feature all of its original TV shows and movies.

Article Link: iOS 12.3 and tvOS 12.3 Betas Introduce Apple's New TV App

[doublepost=1553707734][/doublepost]I’m sure hoping the TV App takes into consideration my very large local iTunes library.

 

[calstanford]

Great. So I am expecting no ACTUAL iOS updates anymore.

 

[routine_analyst]

So THIS was the real purpose of the new Apple TV app... to make Carpool Karaoke front and center

 

[Solver]

Can’t wait to use this with my Comcast Xfinity.


Looks like I need to wait a bit longer.

 

[Sethal]

The biggest issue is no multiuser experience. TV Apps up next feature is great, but when many different people use the same Apple TV is gets cluttered, unorganized, straight up wrong recommendations if my wife watches an episode before I do, and just plain useless.

 

[unobtainium]

The biggest issue is no multiuser experience. TV Apps up next feature is great, but when many different people use the same Apple TV is gets cluttered, unorganized, straight up wrong recommendations if my wife watches an episode before I do, and just plain useless.

Yeah even Netflix gets this right with profiles. The least Apple could do is have some kind of profile feature.

Anyway it's hard to see what the difference is with this new version. It already pulls content from different apps on the ATV (except Netflix of course), so I guess the main difference is the content plays within Apple TV instead of taking you to the third-party app? Whoop-dee-doo.

 

[archer75]

Yeah even Netflix gets this right with profiles. The least Apple could do is have some kind of profile feature.

They'll add that to a future update I'm sure.

Anyway it's hard to see what the difference is with this new version. It already pulls content from different apps on the ATV (except Netflix of course), so I guess the main difference is the content plays within Apple TV instead of taking you to the third-party app? Whoop-dee-doo.

You can also build your own list by adding shows to it. Currently it just tracks what you've watched but there's no way to build your own list of shows.

 

[shaughn2328x]

The biggest issue is no multiuser experience. TV Apps up next feature is great, but when many different people use the same Apple TV is gets cluttered, unorganized, straight up wrong recommendations if my wife watches an episode before I do, and just plain useless.

Totally agree! Apple needs to make it multi user.. maybe with a login screen like Netflix has?

 

[TheShadowKnows!]

The biggest issue is no multiuser experience. TV Apps up next feature is great, but when many different people use the same Apple TV is gets cluttered, unorganized, straight up wrong recommendations if my wife watches an episode before I do, and just plain useless.

Exactly This^

"Apple still has the "Watch Now" feature for keeping track of what you're watching, which is offered alongside a new machine learning-based "For You" feature that offers recommended TV shows and movies based on what you like to watch."​

I was going to ask: Who is You? Is ATV app now multi-user, keyed by distinct iCloud credentials? If not, other than one-user, one-ATV, You=All.

Just curious. Sorry if I am confused. (I use Roku sticks.)

 

[dominiongamma]

Totally agree! Apple needs to make it multi user.. maybe with a login screen like Netflix has?

A button on the Siri remote to switch users be the best way to do it I’m thinking or even telling Siri to switch would work

 

[AngerDanger]

Ugh, Carpool Karaoke. If only Apple could come up with some compromise between producing **** like this and updating their hardware… but how?

 

[dugbug]

Is directv now on demand content going to play within the apple tv app? That would be fantastic.

 

[Kaibelf]

Great. So I am expecting no ACTUAL iOS updates anymore.

What are you talking about? They did one two days ago. Or was a very late stage x.1 update not flashy enough considering WWDC is not far off?

 

[archer75]

Is directv now on demand content going to play within the apple tv app? That would be fantastic.

That's what they said. Directtv, Spectruum and someone else was on the list.

 

[dugbug]

A button on the Siri remote to switch users be the best way to do it I’m thinking or even telling Siri to switch would work

I like that idea. or just a double tap goes to profiles rather than app killing, which could be accomplished by other means.

 

[ipedro]

The biggest issue is no multiuser experience. TV Apps up next feature is great, but when many different people use the same Apple TV is gets cluttered, unorganized, straight up wrong recommendations if my wife watches an episode before I do, and just plain useless.

This is something for a major tvOS update, not a point update that focuses on delivering the Apple TV App. A major tvOS update will be announced at WWDC along with iOS, macOS, watchOS and audioOS (HomePod). I can see multi user being a theme this year with iPad, HomePod and AppleTV all needing multi users.

 

[itsmilo]

Still boggles my mind that you need to update an OS to update an App on iOS

 

[otternonsense]

Every non-US resident Apple user: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[dugbug]

That's what they said. Spectruum and someone else was on the list.

I thought that the in-app playing was only in reference to 'channels'. I hope you are right. DTVNow player is awkward.

 

[jaw3net]

The biggest issue is no multiuser experience. TV Apps up next feature is great, but when many different people use the same Apple TV is gets cluttered, unorganized, straight up wrong recommendations if my wife watches an episode before I do, and just plain useless.

Agreed, though, you could create an itunes apple id for each user and then switch to it in the accounts section of settings. then each user’s watch settings and recommendations would appear in the TV app. Once you’ve logged into a different itunes apple id on tvOS, switching is as simple as a click. I do this now when I want to watch content from the UK App Store.

 

[archer75]

Every non-US resident Apple user: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

They're putting ATV+ in over 100 countries. Along with the TV app going on a variety of non apple products. Not sure what you're talking about.

 

[sorgo †]

Every non-US resident Apple user: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Heck, I’m in the US and I still don’t really care—and I’m probably not alone.

 

[PilotC150]

Still boggles my mind that you need to update an OS to update an App on iOS

You don't. They "unbundled" a lot of the apps with iOS 10.

It could be that this new TV app required some changes to the underlying OS, though, so it wouldn't work without the OS update.

 

[NoIdentity]

They're putting ATV+ in over 100 countries. Along with the TV app going on a variety of non apple products. Not sure what you're talking about.

But which?