Anyone know how the new Apple TV handles multilple users? How can we switch iTunes accounts for purchases? Or viewing a show in the correct Netflix profile?
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New Apple TV and multiple users
- Thread starter soberbrain
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Given Netflix supports multiple users on the old Apple TVs, I assume each app can support it if they so choose.
I'm curious about Apple Music, Photos, and iTunes Movies though. Music especially...it drives my wife nuts when when she can't easily get to her music on Apple TV, since we have extremely different music tastes.
I'm curious about Apple Music, Photos, and iTunes Movies though. Music especially...it drives my wife nuts when when she can't easily get to her music on Apple TV, since we have extremely different music tastes.
This is a huge point that I'm surprised Apple didn't make very clear. For such a family orientated device, it should surely have support for multiple iCloud accounts to access Apple Music, iCloud Photo Library etc.
I'll have to do some digging around and see if there's information out there.
Agreed. I was waiting to hear more info during the announcement, but it never came. With universal search, it would be great to find media on any connected Mac.
I read Siri will have voice recognition in iOS 9. I hope this is also part of tvOS. Would be great to leverage this and automatically switch user profiles for iTunes, Gamecenter, 3rd party apps.
It's one of those "magical" features that makes a product easier to use, like Touch ID.
I really hope it does have multiple user support. This is something no TV connected streaming box or smart TV platform that I've used has addressed and its annoyed me for years. The TV streaming box is the only 'computer' in my house that actually has multiple users, and yet it doesn't support multiple users' content.
As far as I know, the Netflix app supports multiple profiles within an account, but does not support multiple accounts simultaneously connected to the app.
The former might be adequate for a family where one of the parents pays for Netflix and the kids don't have their own accounts, but it might be inadequate for friends sharing a house where more than one person in the house has their own Netflix account.
I have multiple iTunes accounts set to different countries so that I can get the variety of geo-locked apps that I use (BBC iplayer/Pandora etc).
On existing Apple TVs, when you switch iTunes accounts then the installed 'channels' change. I hope that on the new Apple TV that you can access all apps that have been installed under any iTunes account so I don't have to switch accounts when I want to watch bbc stuff.
On existing Apple TVs, when you switch iTunes accounts then the installed 'channels' change. I hope that on the new Apple TV that you can access all apps that have been installed under any iTunes account so I don't have to switch accounts when I want to watch bbc stuff.
It's going to be interesting to see how the new ATV handles multiple users, especially when it comes to games and Game Center. If Apple really wants this to maybe compete with other game consoles then they will have to offer some type of multiple user support. Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3 and 4 all allow you to setup user accounts. Everyone in my family has their own account own our PS4, that way everyone gets there own trophies and game saves, etc.
Apple can't really expect families to share a single Game Center account or share all game saves. People want to play their own game, not pick up where someone else left off. If they really want to make a run at the other game consoles then I think they have to offer some type of multiple user support.
Apple can't really expect families to share a single Game Center account or share all game saves. People want to play their own game, not pick up where someone else left off. If they really want to make a run at the other game consoles then I think they have to offer some type of multiple user support.
I also have a Canadian account and U.S. account and my wish is to be able to show all purchased content at once rather than having to switch between the two. Too much to ask?
I agree it's a must have but as Apple didn't mention such a huge feature, I think it will not be there. Especially for Apple Music this is a huge issue as it can throw of your profile and the recommendations if someone is else is using your account on the ATV4.
With all the excitement of iCloud family it makes sense for us device to have multiple users. Games are obvious. But also parental controls and video etc. If my kids are using the Apple TV then I don't want them watching breaking bad. It's not like we can all have our own Apple TV like we can with other iOS devices. With the Apple TV we have to share, so I think not supporting multiple users will really confuse users. Maybe it will be introduced before it is launched.... I certainly hope so..
Let's hope so. I'm hoping more information will be released closer to release; but I don't understand why it wasn't mentioned in the first place, so I won't hold my breath.
I've not found anymore information on other websites, so have sent an email to Eddy Cue. Unlikely I'll hear back, but hopefully something may come from it if enough people ask.
I've not found anymore information on other websites, so have sent an email to Eddy Cue. Unlikely I'll hear back, but hopefully something may come from it if enough people ask.
So I've set up the new Apple TV and I'm trying to figure out how to set it up for multiple users.
I have a Family sharing account with my partner and we have different tastes in music (Apple Music) as well as our own preferences for the system. We also have our own separate iCloud photos library.
Surely there's a way to set up multiple accounts? Guest accounts?
I don't want our roommate looking through our photos, and I also don't want my partner adding his music to my Apple Music library.
I have a Family sharing account with my partner and we have different tastes in music (Apple Music) as well as our own preferences for the system. We also have our own separate iCloud photos library.
Surely there's a way to set up multiple accounts? Guest accounts?
I don't want our roommate looking through our photos, and I also don't want my partner adding his music to my Apple Music library.
As I had suspected, the new Apple TV appears to be completely unsuited to use by multiple users. Having used the PS4 where you barely need to think about the fact it's logging each user in when they turn on their controller, the Apple TV seems so primitive. Only one user can log into GameCentre as far as I can tell. I bought the Apple TV this morning with 3 Nimbus controllers, only to discover that after pairing 2 of them they each controlled the same things. As far as I can tell, it's a maximum of 2 players, 1 Apple Remote and one Game Controller. Any additional controllers that were paired just duplicated the function of the first game controller. I've returned one of them, I'll be taking the second one back too. Very disappointing. Also, given that the Nimbus costs almost as much as the DualShock 4, it's very primitive in comparison - apparently no giro, no vibration, etc etc.
In terms of the lack of multi-user support - they've taken an OS suited to personal devices like the iPhone, and put it on a shared device. Perhaps instead of multiple controllers on one Apple TV, they expect each family member to have their own large screen TV and Apple TV?
In terms of the lack of multi-user support - they've taken an OS suited to personal devices like the iPhone, and put it on a shared device. Perhaps instead of multiple controllers on one Apple TV, they expect each family member to have their own large screen TV and Apple TV?
That's infuriating.
I was hoping to replace my Xbox One as my main entertainment hub.
The Xbox one signs you in simply by recognizing your face when you walk in the room, it allows you to switch profiles by voice or controller.
What exactly is my partner supposed to do to access his music library and his own photo library?
I'd also like to set up a simple passcode to access my Apple TV profile. I don't want guests or friends signing in as me and looking through my personal photos. I could disable photos but I want to be able to access them myself.
Wow.
I was wondering exactly the same. Supposedly, the new Apple TV was delayed so much because of negotiations with cable companies, at least they should have continued internal development and added this much needed feature.
They even could have made it iPhone only: if the iPhone is in the room, that account is automatically enabled/loaded.
They even could have made it iPhone only: if the iPhone is in the room, that account is automatically enabled/loaded.
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Interesting. I wonder if doing this still retains your logged in apps while you switch Apple accounts.
I'm still blown away by how cumbersome this is.
I'm picking up my Apple TV tonight. I'm not looking forward to that new onscreen keyboard for entering login info in the various apps: talk about cumbersome!
I've just tried to do this on my new ATV4... it does NOT work as suggested in the article... I can go & "Add new Apple ID" quite successfully, and sign in to it... it is an ID from another country (my Wife is Norwegian)... so when I sign in, it throws up a couple of messages, one of which I expected, the other was a surprise... - what I'm used to happening - same as on my previous ATV3 is that it would say "This account is only valid for itunes purchases in Norway. You will be switched to that store".. - no problem with that, that has always hapenned.. now it additionally says "Siri is not available in Norway"... OK, an extra prompt I have to hit "OK" to, but no biggie I suppose... once I go past that, I am indeed logged into the 2nd itunes account, and see that account's purchases, content, etc...
The problem is that it DOES NOT save that account anywhere... so I cannot easily switch between the two... when I go back to the accounts page, I can see the 2nd Apple ID as the currently logged on one, but only MY first original Apple ID is listed under "family accounts"... I can click on it to quickly & easily sign out from the 2nd ID and back into my 1st ID... but when I want to go back to the 2nd (wife's) Apple ID, I can see no way to do it other than go through the whole "Add new Apple ID" process again... - a tedious amount of typing!
This functionality worked seamlessly on my ATV3... I had both our Apple ID's setup, and could click on either of them to sign in with no further interaction...
I *REALLY* want that functionality back!!! - we really do need to be able to switch between a UK and a Norwegian Apple ID, since we are a multi-lingual household, and often only one or other store will have the show/movie etc with the desired language & subtitle options...
It's odd that roommates would be cost-conscious enough to share an Apple TV device, but not cost-conscious enough to share the cost of a single Netflix membership with multiple profiles.
The main benefit in multiple accounts would be to have separate iCloud and Game Center data. (especially if you are both playing the same games)