AppleInsider Staff
Apple this week added a handful of television content providers — most of which are owned by Discovery Communications — to a slowly growing list of services that offer support for universal search on fourth-generation Apple TV devices.
The expansion was announced in an update to an Apple Support Pages document regarding Apple TV search options.
According to the updated list, users in the U.S. can now ask Siri to search for shows airing on Discovery Communications properties AHC GO (American Heroes Channel), Destination America GO, Discovery Life GO and Velocity GO, as well as Filmstruck, Shudder and Sundance Now.
Apple TV's search capabilities are also expanded in international markets. In Australia, support has been expanded to include AnimeLab and DocPlay, while Canada receives integration for City Video and CraveTV. MUBI, which previously built hooks into universal search for regions like the UK and Sweden, has extended platform integration to include France, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands and Spain.
Apple TVs universal search feature indexes content from supported streaming networks on Apple services, allowing users to surface shows, viewing options and more with a Siri search. For example, a Siri query for popular automotive series "Overhaulin'" now returns the show's landing page with availability on both iTunes and Velocity GO.
Universal search was introduced as a Siri tentpole feature when the fourth-generation Apple TV debuted in 2015. Owners can use their Siri Remote or Apple TV Remote app to search for TV shows, videos and other media from anywhere in the tvOS interface.
Most recently, Apple TV universal search gained Cartoon Network integration in April.
Malcolm Owen
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Andrew Orr
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5 Comments
Is anyone else yawning while Apple does little to impact this space?
The Apple TV needs A LOT more than this.
I'm really happy to see FilmStruck added to the list. Since I started subscribing, I cancelled Hulu and I've barely bothered to watch Netflix or anything else, because the FilmStruck (Turner Classic Movies + Criterion Collection) catalog is so amazing, but the interface could use some fine-tuning.
Yeah I never really understand the ATV pessimists. It's a set-top box with apps that let me pull up my desired content on demand. It is way better than the DVR systems I see my friends using on their cable boxes. I needn't ever worry about scheduling the recorder or storage capacity. I search or go directly to the TV app and watch my stuff, done.
Add in non-TV apps, add in some casual gaming, add in AirPlay, add in swipe-scrubbing which I love, and add in Siri remote commands for navigating the device, the content, and my HomeKit scenes.
Nice little system. Doesn't rock my world, but it doesn't need to. Main point is I wouldn't want to be without it.