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tvOS 12 Wishlist: Features MacRumors Readers Want to See Added to the Apple TV in 2018

how about a user interface and remote control that are usable? I would sign up for that.

I've had it with the current interface of tiles, the awkward swiping and bouncy sounds, the non-intuitive buttons, accidentally clicking menu and returning to the home screen, losing the little remote in the sofa, holding the remote the wrong way, the lack of multi-user support and the lack of decent innovative apps.

And the worst of all: Siri still being disabled in so many countries. What's up with that? How hard can it be for the richest company in the world to translate some dictionaries. Especially as Siri does work in those countries, they still decided to disable it on the ATV. I assume because it would over a sup-bar user experience somehow. Well, congratulations: we still have a sup-bar experience. Turn the flipping switch!
 
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JRobinsonJr said:
  • Screensavers from Photo Albums rather than shares
  • Facetime!
  • iMessages
  • Notifications
  • Multi-user / Profiles (with TouchID/FaceID/password's to switch between active users)
  • More media on the screen (with 500+ movies it's really annoying to browse 8 at a time)
  • Safari! (I know Apple doesn't like this, but customers do)
  • Web-based TV Management
    • TV App Store
    • TV screens for organizing and managing apps
    • Logins
  • Storage of media app logins (including TV providers) in KeyChain
  • Seemless integration of streaming and local media from a designated Mac
    • e.g. I have music, videos, etc. that aren't in the cloud but want to play them on my TV
    • Having to switch to "Computer" then find the media is ... silly
  • Local caching of streaming media
    • Either on the TV box or (even better) on a designated Mac
    • For media that I play frequently it's silly to continuously stream from the Internet
    • Example: my kid watches Frozen 3-4 times a day. If it was cached - even with a time limitation - it could be pulled from a local device.
    • Caching could also allow us to 'pre-download' streaming movies, allowing better 4k movie watching and eliminating interruptions
    • Consider this an advanced form of buffering
Click to expand...

I second the want for the keychain. Android tv and I think Xbox have done this for a few years now.

I started fresh on the devices and when the apps installed they were already signed in for me. Handy!
 
sotiredofsoup said:
For years I have wanted them to make remote audio available so I can mute the TV and plug headphones into my phone to listen. I don't think this will ever happen.
Click to expand...

I've been looking for something similar... It'd be an app for the iphone (and mac) that turns your device into an airplay receiver. Any device that's streaming can select where to send the audio and video, even if different and multiple devices for each. You could send L/R audio to 2 homepods, the video could be played on the apple TV and a device in another room at the same time, and you could still be pushing the audio to your phone. I think there are workarounds for this at least on the mac, but nothing elegant.
 
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I would like to say to Siri "Play The Hunt for Red October movie", and it be able to find my movie in my library instead of taking me to the iTunes Movie rental site. Or am I missing something?
 
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On-screen iTunes-style visualizer option when playing music through ATV. Still don't understand why this wasn't a thing since ATV2.
 
1. Atmos / Bistream support (specially uncompressed audio you would find on a blu-ray disc, like Dolby Tru HD / DTS Master Audio), with this I may stop buying discs completely.

2. More apps integrated into the TV app (Netflix would be a great reveal).

3. In The UK an All4 app (it's the only terrestrial broadcaster not on Apple TV)

4. More flexibility in how I order and group my films, TV shows. If ATV is going to replace my Blu-Ray shelves, it would be nice to be able to organise it how I want, a Favourites section, an unseen section, a section just for the kids, or my wife's favourites.

Though to be honest I've had an old ATV for years and upgraded a few months ago to the 4K version with the app store and it's pretty damn good. The Netflix app isn't as fast as my smart TV so doesn't get much use but if it were integrated into the TV app and have a truly unified viewing experience through all the apps it would be fantastic. The audio is the killer for me, a disc is just so much better.
 
This is less of a mainstream use case, but smart homes are becoming more common and I'd love to get AppleTV integration with Philips Hue Entertainment to enable dynamic lighting effects in my living room synced to the video output. They're currently only PC and Mac supported but there are plans to integrate with Xbox/Playstation, etc., and the AppleTV seems to be an obvious candidate).
 
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Bswails said:
What about support for volume control in the remote app on iOS? You can’t change the volume using the app
Click to expand...
I just did, controls the audio on my AV receiver with no problems

Just gone into my settings, in remotes and devices there's a home cinema control section, I have control TVs and Receivers on (Volume control is on auto via HDMI (Receiver) but is greyed out, probably as I've set it to control the volume.
 
vertical smile said:
I haven't tried, but could you do this with BT headphones?
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I can pair my Powerbeats3, but it could be much easier than digging through the system menus. I picture something similar to selecting Airplay devices.
[doublepost=1527271849][/doublepost]
mccaffertee said:
I connect my headphone by bluetooth to the ATV... why throw the phone into the mix????
Click to expand...

Existing wired headphone selection.
The phone is already an AppleTV remote.
Longer battery life on a phone vs some BT headphones.
Throwing a silent disco.
Etc. etc.

I've wanted this since way before they dropped the headphone jack so I agree at this point it's ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
sputnikv said:
I would love for them to be a bit more liberal with controller support. Would be great to use a decent Bluetooth controller, such as Nintendo's or Sony's without having to jailbreak.
[doublepost=1527196563][/doublepost]Also, much of the TV OS' interface is understandably focused on selling new content. I would appreciate a redesign that focused more on a user's subscribed or owned content. One tab for "library" and a handful of others for "new", "top", "recommended" and the like doesn't sit well with me.
Click to expand...
Have you tried Plex or Infuse Pro apps on Apple TV?
[doublepost=1527273902][/doublepost]My biggest wishes are around Siri. Aside from improving Siri in general to become more intelligent, I would like for it to give the apps the controls to return results for Siri queries. For instance. Give Apple TV the power to control home kit. Have Apple TV the ability to listen to all the time for Siri queries. Implement a more complex Siri remote. The existing one is over-simplified.
 
I just want to see the same damn wishlist on my Apple TV and iPhone. Why is that so hard??
 
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robbieleffel said:
I played with one of these in the store the other day. I though the remote was pretty cool but I can't see a use for it at this point and this wishlist does not give me hope. I have a Tivo and a FireStick currently. I don't feel like I'm lacking anything. People here mention gaming and I can't imagine this thing ever competing with a standalone gaming console or computer.

What ever happened to Steve Jobs 'figuring TV out"?

Also, this list tells me that Steve Jobs was right when he said he tells the people what they want instead of giving them what they want. If this list is any indication, what the people want is just lame and underwhelming.
Click to expand...

I'd love to see you access your iTunes and App purchases over your Tivo and FireStick, as well as access your Photo library, or AirPlay something from your iPhone to your TV.
 
sotiredofsoup said:
I can pair my Powerbeats3, but it could be much easier than digging through the system menus. I picture something similar to selecting Airplay devices.
[doublepost=1527271849][/doublepost]

Existing wired headphone selection.
The phone is already an AppleTV remote.
Longer battery life on a phone vs some BT headphones.
Throwing a silent disco.
Etc. etc.

I've wanted this since way before they dropped the headphone jack so I agree at this point it's ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Click to expand...
What a nonsense.
Longer battery life? Yeah, right.
Throwing a silent disco? You can do that with Bluetooth headphones to.
Rather throwing nonsense to get a point.
Phatetic.
 
Mac 128 said:
I'd love to see you access your iTunes and App purchases over your Tivo and FireStick, as well as access your Photo library, or AirPlay something from your iPhone to your TV.
Click to expand...

I stopped buying from Apple YEARS ago for this reason. I could see this was going to be an issue when my orginan iPod would not play windows media files. I get my music through Amazon. I don't present my photos anywhere on a big screen other than my computers which are all Mac so that works fine.

I use SONOS speakers which works just fine in my ecosystem and will work even better when Apple releases the next version of iOS with AirPlay 2.

I'll consider Apple TV when they SOLVE TV like Jobs was talking about. I don't want to have an Apple TV, a Tivo, a FireStick, etc, I want one device that rules them all. There is a device that exists (I can't remember the name) that does that but the reviews were not great. Maybe by version 2.0 it'll be ready for primetime or Apple TV will get there. Until then... I'm getting by without it.
 
robbieleffel said:
I stopped buying from Apple YEARS ago for this reason. I could see this was going to be an issue when my orginan iPod would not play windows media files. I get my music through Amazon. I don't present my photos anywhere on a big screen other than my computers which are all Mac so that works fine.

I use SONOS speakers which works just fine in my ecosystem and will work even better when Apple releases the next version of iOS with AirPlay 2.

I'll consider Apple TV when they SOLVE TV like Jobs was talking about. I don't want to have an Apple TV, a Tivo, a FireStick, etc, I want one device that rules them all. There is a device that exists (I can't remember the name) that does that but the reviews were not great. Maybe by version 2.0 it'll be ready for primetime or Apple TV will get there. Until then... I'm getting by without it.
Click to expand...

Well the ATV would replace your Firestick, and depending on what you use your TIVO for, that too. I cut the cable a long time ago, and my ATV provides all the content I need on demand. No TIVO, no FireStick. It also allows me to airplay anything from my Mac, iPad and iPhone, including software for which there's no tvOS app. Apps like Plex play any media file I need to access. Amazon Prime app allows me access to anything I buy from Amazon. Unlike any other provider, Apple has upgraded all my movies to 4K HDR, so it was worth being locked into Aple's ecosystem to get that for free. Add to that Movies Anywhere actually breaks Apple's exclusivity on movies, and gives me access to at least HD quality from any other device that supports it.

I can't say enough positive things about the ATV. Whatever works for you, but I would hate to try and make all that gear you've got work together. I have one remote that controls my TV and ATV, and through that my Mac, iPhone and iPad if I desire. Life is good.
 
Mac 128 said:
Well the ATV would replace your Firestick, and depending on what you use your TIVO for, that too. I cut the cable a long time ago, and my ATV provides all the content I need on demand. No TIVO, no FireStick. It also allows me to airplay anything from my Mac, iPad and iPhone, including software for which there's no tvOS app. Apps like Plex play any media file I need to access. Amazon Prime app allows me access to anything I buy from Amazon. Unlike any other provider, Apple has upgraded all my movies to 4K HDR, so it was worth being locked into Aple's ecosystem to get that for free. Add to that Movies Anywhere actually breaks Apple's exclusivity on movies, and gives me access to at least HD quality from any other device that supports it.

I can't say enough positive things about the ATV. Whatever works for you, but I would hate to try and make all that gear you've got work together. I have one remote that controls my TV and ATV, and through that my Mac, iPhone and iPad if I desire. Life is good.
Click to expand...
I hear you. I use Plex, available on both my Tivo and FireStick.

It's gonna be difficult for me to give up my Tivo. The control interface is the best I've ever seen. Rewinding, Fast forwarding, etc, with other interfaces I've found it's so difficult to go exactly where I want in a show. Whether it just makes huge jumps, or I'm unable to see where I'm at while scrubbing through, or just so sketchy it just knocks you completely out of the show altogether, other interfaces are horrible compared to Tivo. This may seem like it's not a big deal to others but it's huge for me. I like total control and confidence with the remote. I haven't gotten that with any other device.
[doublepost=1527299515][/doublepost]
Mac 128 said:
Well the ATV would replace your Firestick, and depending on what you use your TIVO for, that too. I cut the cable a long time ago, and my ATV provides all the content I need on demand. No TIVO, no FireStick. It also allows me to airplay anything from my Mac, iPad and iPhone, including software for which there's no tvOS app. Apps like Plex play any media file I need to access. Amazon Prime app allows me access to anything I buy from Amazon. Unlike any other provider, Apple has upgraded all my movies to 4K HDR, so it was worth being locked into Aple's ecosystem to get that for free. Add to that Movies Anywhere actually breaks Apple's exclusivity on movies, and gives me access to at least HD quality from any other device that supports it.

I can't say enough positive things about the ATV. Whatever works for you, but I would hate to try and make all that gear you've got work together. I have one remote that controls my TV and ATV, and through that my Mac, iPhone and iPad if I desire. Life is good.
Click to expand...
Oh and I'm not cutting the cable anytime soon. I watch a lot of live sports. ATV can't do that very well yet.
 
I thought of another thing to put on my tvOS wish list, this is something I have been wanting since replacing my Mac Mini G4 with a 1st gen ATV on my main TV:

An iTunes feature, the Visualizer. Why has this never been a thing on any of the ATVs?
 
A visualiser when listening to music! Yes please.

I’d like my screen to be doing something instead of just displaying album art.

Although visualisers are disappearing for everywhere these days it seems. It’s a bit buried in iTunes itself.
 
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FoxMcCloud said:
A visualiser when listening to music! Yes please.

I’d like my screen to be doing something instead of just displaying album art.

Although visualisers are disappearing for everywhere these days it seems. It’s a bit buried in iTunes itself.
Click to expand...

Agree with this, as others said as well. A visualizer.
Honestly, there are some songs I love to listen to, but not a fan of the artwork, and don't want that art blown on my wall while listening to that track.
[doublepost=1527339289][/doublepost]Another minor thought on hardware. ATV remote suffers from the same thing the iPhone X suffers from:
Tough to tell which side of the device is up in the dark! .... common Apple, it's the simple things that matter.
 
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