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TV App in the UK

S

stocklen

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 25, 2013
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So, in the keynote we were told that the TV app would be launching in the UK by the end of the year.

I believe that Australia was also in line before us and theirs went live late September / early `October.

Any ideas when the UK will get it? - theres only about 6 weeks of the year left to go now.

And will it be in the form of a software update? or does the new TV app need to be downloaded at a certain time from the app store on the iPad / iPhone / apple TV?
 
still wondering on this one.... no sign and 11.2 just out (i was expecting that to be the catalyst).

getting rather late for it to be by the end of the year. No updates from apple to say its been delayed though.
 
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stocklen said:
still wondering on this one.... no sign and 11.2 just out (i was expecting that to be the catalyst).

getting rather late for it to be by the end of the year. No updates from apple to say its been delayed though.
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I think iOS 11.2 was due to be released later this week but Apple released it over the weekend because of the date bug that was uncovered. So they may still be planning to roll it out soon, sticking with their planned timescale rather than with the update over the weekend.
 
Stuipdboy1000 said:
I think iOS 11.2 was due to be released later this week but Apple released it over the weekend because of the date bug that was uncovered. So they may still be planning to roll it out soon, sticking with their planned timescale rather than with the update over the weekend.
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Agreed.. but (and please correct me if i'm wrong) isn't the switch over to the 'TV' app somewhat fundamental in nature such that you then lose the old 'videos' app and the TV app appears in its place... surely this is only achievable via an update of some sort and now 11.2 is live it wont change until the next update (maybe theres an 11.2.1 coming out to enable it for us)
 
stocklen said:
Agreed.. but (and please correct me if i'm wrong) isn't the switch over to the 'TV' app somewhat fundamental in nature such that you then lose the old 'videos' app and the TV app appears in its place... surely this is only achievable via an update of some sort and now 11.2 is live it wont change until the next update (maybe theres an 11.2.1 coming out to enable it for us)
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Doesn't Australia already have the TV app? What happened for them - was it a TVOS update or just an app update?
 
mrklaw said:
Doesn't Australia already have the TV app? What happened for them - was it a TVOS update or just an app update?
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i believe so... they got it quite soon after Apple's september keynote... and thats where they said the UK would be 'by the end of the year'...

So will be interesting to hear from an Australian how it actually worked for them.

remember, simultaneously the iPad, iPhone, and AppleTV would need to be updated to include the TV app and functionality.
 
stocklen said:
Agreed.. but (and please correct me if i'm wrong) isn't the switch over to the 'TV' app somewhat fundamental in nature such that you then lose the old 'videos' app and the TV app appears in its place... surely this is only achievable via an update of some sort and now 11.2 is live it wont change until the next update (maybe theres an 11.2.1 coming out to enable it for us)
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It looks like it just rolls our sever side whenever Apple decide it’s ready by the looks of this story: https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/18/apple-tv-app-canada-australia-imminent-launch/

As long as you are on a certain version of iOS (in this case probably 11.1 or 11.2), it’ll replace your Videos app when Apple flicks the switch.
 
Just try to go to an App in the App Store that is only available in the US. As soon as you are in the App store, go to the Home screen and you will see that the app appeared automatically.
So it is just a switch being flipped by Apple, and it is loaded depending on the App Store country
 
It was the same with Apple Pay a couple of years ago, all Apple had to do was to activate it for our region for it to appear on our iPhones so it should be the same process.
 
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Skyrunner1 said:
Still not available in Germany here ... what about UK and France? Any luck?
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Nothing in UK. :(

I’ve had my Apple TV since launch and I can’t help but feel it has been a bit of a waste of money. It’s missing: a YouTube app that’s not utter garbage, TV app, Amazon Prime, Channel 4 and ITV Hub.

We only have two apps for our major broadcasters: thankfully one is the BBC, after listening to our feedback and made an app for iPlayer! Channel 5 has also made an app but the frame rate jitters get a bit frustrating.

I also would like a decent Now TV app and iPlayer Radio. And Podcasts in iCloud so I can pick up where I left off from my iPhone!
 
No. They do tend to go a little quiet on these things, and all we know is the 'end of year' promise in the keynote.

However, time is running out! Who knows if they will deliver by then.

The only thing thats happened is the release of the Channel 5 App for apple TV - although no sign of the ITV app (both of which mentioned in the Keynote).

However as UK people know, no sign of All-4 though i'm sure that will be added later.

The TV app looks pretty much like what is sorely needed in the brave new world of Streaming services... but its only really effective if all the apps work with it - and I believe Netflix is still not included even in the states.

I would find it VERY useful to have a prompt that the latest episode of something i'm watching is available - be it from Amazon prime, or Netflix. Ironically Ive no interest in BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and channel 5 as mostly if im watching a series then i would have recorded it myself and not relied on the streaming services.

I find it a bit onerous nowadays to have to remember that 'mondays is a new episode of this on Netflix, and tuesdays its this on netflix, and this on Amazon prime. oh and Fridays its this on amazon prime'

Hopefully Amazon prime's app (if we ever get to see it!! wasnt it supposed to be in the summer?) will be TV app compatible and Netflix will allow themselves to become TV app compatible too - cant see why they would hold out for this but maybe the more users worldwide that demand it the more they will consider allowing it.
 
stocklen said:
Hopefully Amazon prime's app (if we ever get to see it!! wasnt it supposed to be in the summer?) will be TV app compatible and Netflix will allow themselves to become TV app compatible too - cant see why they would hold out for this but maybe the more users worldwide that demand it the more they will consider allowing it.
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I remember years ago Steve Jobs said in an interview that the TV/film industry was so fragmented it’s almost impossible to get them all reading from the same page. Which is very annoying - because all it effects is the end user: their audience. I would more than likely watch more content from them if it was displayed in one all-encompassing TV app; whereas I would never download or open a separate app and go searching for something new.
 
nsimpson94 said:
I remember years ago Steve Jobs said in an interview that the TV/film industry was so fragmented it’s almost impossible to get them all reading from the same page. Which is very annoying - because all it effects is the end user: their audience. I would more than likely watch more content from them if it was displayed in one all-encompassing TV app; whereas I would never download or open a separate app and go searching for something new.
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totally agree. Streaming services are great, and the future for sure. Even the BBC are putting stuff on iPlayer that is online only...

But its a huge inconvenience to know whats ready to watch when and where. The thing with recorded TV is you set a series link recording, and they are there all ready for you to watch.

My streaming viewing is only really across Amazon Prime and Netflix but its a pain when they put out new episodes weekly and you have to remember on which day of the week to go looking for the next episode. Its even worse as we nowadays tend to more closely follow the USA original broadcasts where they take weird and random breaks in their seasons. We've just had one weeks break for most things (thanksgiving?!) and of course theres the annoying 'mid season break' coming up where we inexplicably have to wait weeks, and in some cases months for the next episode to appear!

A dedicated TV app that automatically aggregates all these things would be a godsend. The TV app seems to be the right idea but not fully realised as yet.

Still, looking forward to actually getting to try it myself when its finally available.
 
stocklen said:
Still, looking forward to actually getting to try it myself when its finally available.
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Agreed!

I cancelled my Sky subscription (because £50+/month wasn’t justified as I wasn’t really watching any of their content) and now only pay for Netflix and Prime. So I am definitely looking forward to the TV app and integration with other British broadcasters! I think (and hope) it wont be long until TV is consumed predominately on demand through the internet - rather than broadcast on schedule with satellite/aerial.
 
stocklen said:
totally agree. Streaming services are great, and the future for sure. Even the BBC are putting stuff on iPlayer that is online only...

But its a huge inconvenience to know whats ready to watch when and where. The thing with recorded TV is you set a series link recording, and they are there all ready for you to watch.

My streaming viewing is only really across Amazon Prime and Netflix but its a pain when they put out new episodes weekly and you have to remember on which day of the week to go looking for the next episode. Its even worse as we nowadays tend to more closely follow the USA original broadcasts where they take weird and random breaks in their seasons. We've just had one weeks break for most things (thanksgiving?!) and of course theres the annoying 'mid season break' coming up where we inexplicably have to wait weeks, and in some cases months for the next episode to appear!

A dedicated TV app that automatically aggregates all these things would be a godsend. The TV app seems to be the right idea but not fully realised as yet.

Still, looking forward to actually getting to try it myself when its finally available.
Click to expand...

if this doesn't have netflix and amazon support then it is limited in value. I'd pay for a 'virtual series link' where I could have a 'now playing' list which updated automatically with links to netflix/amazon etc as shows are available. Tivo almost does this with season passes which include on demand, but its not great.
 
mrklaw said:
if this doesn't have netflix and amazon support then it is limited in value. I'd pay for a 'virtual series link' where I could have a 'now playing' list which updated automatically with links to netflix/amazon etc as shows are available. Tivo almost does this with season passes which include on demand, but its not great.
Click to expand...

Of course the Americans have had he TV app on their appleTVs for over a year now. They seem to have many, many more streaming services and subscription services than we do here in the UK so its a pretty useful thing for them.

I understand, however, that Netflix is not playing ball with the TV app. No idea why as it surely would help in discoverability for their content and ultimately bring more people to their service. I cant see why the TV app's functionality is something that someone like Netflix would disapprove of. Netflix are fully on board with the Apple TV in all other ways such as Siri search results and the 'what did he say' function.

Back to the UK, and for me, its at its most useful if it encompasses both Netflix and Amazon prime.

However, as of now, even with the TV app 'imminent' for us... theres no hope of Netflix integration and the Amazon Prime app is still just a fairy tale! Even if the Amazon Prime app was TV compatible then its still only half the story.



As I said earlier, the TV app is a HUGE deal to make streaming services more useful and user friendly - and I hope that it can become what it has the potential to be.
 
What expectation can I have of the TV app in the UK? Live streaming of channels and catch ups all in one place? I'm a bit clueless as to why this could be a big deal, so feel free to school me.
 
looks like the amazon AppleTV app might be incoming soon.

But im sure thats got nothing to do with the TV app being available in the UK!
 
It must be imminent for the UK, since Channel 5, ITV Hub, and Amazon Prime have appeared in last 24 hours or so.
 
Apple have rebranded their iTunes Movies twitter to Apple TV with video touting the TV app.

I tapped the link and got this...

Still no TV app though.
5D0BA437-FEC1-45DA-B1BA-0A362B7425BB.png
 
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