Mikey Campbell
Developer Steve Troughton-Smith continues to find interesting nuggets of info in Apple's tvOS that hint at future Apple TV capabilities, and on Wednesday discovered a way to bring app folder support to the new operating system.
As seen above, Troughton-Smith cobbled together code, or "abused llbd" as he says, to enable the creation of app folders in the shipping version of tvOS that mimic those found in iOS. Each created folder shows up on the tvOS home screen as one would expect, with its own title and nested app icon previews.
The folders come with customizable names and what appears to be full compatibility with tvOS, meaning stored apps can be repositioned and deleted by entering "wiggle mode." It is unclear how exactly apps are moved into and out of a given folder, or if that is even possible, and does Troughton-Smith elaborate on specifics like app limits. At this point the discovery serves as a proof of concept of what Apple could have planned for future updates.
Depending on consumer interest in third-party tvOS apps, there could very well come a day when folders make sense for Apple TV. For now, however, Apple's basic one-app-per-slot organization system offers sufficient support for the smattering of available apps.
Launched publicly alongside the fourth-generation Apple TV last week, tvOS is a distinct operating system that mixes and matches GUI elements from iOS and previous Apple TV software builds to form a cohesive OS ready for the big-screen. Apple is still building out functionality, though initial developer interest in the fledgling OS looks promising.
Earlier today Apple updated the tvOS App Store with a new Categories section, a content discovery enhancement that follows Monday's Top Charts addition.
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
55 Comments
Very cool. It makes sense to have folders even with SIRI features because the number of apps on the Apple TV will be large after each family member downloads their favorite apps.
Not allowing to have folders as it stands right now is a mistake by apple. Peope are not dumb... They can foresee a situation where lack of folders will creat an organizational mess .... So why leave that impression on consumers and disappoint them on omission of such a critical feature ... Who wins ? Nobody.. Consumer gets pissed and starts creating negative narrative. Apple gets blasted for rushed product or unfinished rough product..( all u have to do is look at the reviews and forum comments to see this) If it was a tactic by apple not to enable folders.. It was a screwed up one ! Same with siri and remote functionality for apple music... So many holes. Not providing a night mode or dark mode is another obviouse issue . The UI is way too bright in dark rooms. Siri search can not be locelized to an app....If one wants to JUST search netflix while in netflix app's search, one has to use the keyboard entry method! If one uses Siri one will get a semi universal search showing results outside of netflix too.... Why not allow both "app locelized siri search " and "universal siri search "? Why is universal search limited to a handful of apps? Why isnt the apple ios remote app not compatable with the new Apple TV? Dont get me wrong... I like the new tv... I love some of the features .. But why release it with such obviouse shortcomings.. Who wins.... Its not like apple did not have time to iron out things at such basic level .. Its been years in the making ! But that is the negative side of things. There are wonderful feature To the product too. My favorits are: The remote! The new rewind/fast forward through the touch panal on the remote. Finally an accurate smooth way of doing this! Its fantastic. Siri integration for so many functions... Will only get better . Apps. The arial screen savers. All said.. I believe/hope all the negative issues and obviouse omissions will get resolved before holiday shoping season ! It can trully become a GREAT product!
Please, please Apple, give us file folders I want to feel like I'm using a DOS PC from the 80s again /s
Not allowing to have folders as it stands right now is a mistake by apple.
Peope are not dumb... They can foresee a situation where lack of folders will creat an organizational mess .... So why leave that impression on consumers and disappoint them on omission of such a critical feature ...
Who wins ? Nobody..
Consumer gets pissed and starts creating negative narrative.
Apple gets blasted for rushed product or unfinished rough product..( all u have to do is look at the reviews and forum comments to see this)
If it was a tactic by apple not to enable folders.. It was a screwed up one !
Same with siri and remote functionality for apple music... So many holes.
Not providing a night mode or dark mode is another obviouse issue . The UI is way too bright in dark rooms.
Siri search can not be locelized to an app....If one wants to JUST search netflix while in netflix app's search, one has to use the keyboard entry method! If one uses Siri one will get a semi universal search showing results outside of netflix too.... Why not allow both "app locelized siri search " and "universal siri search "?
Why is universal search limited to a handful of apps?
Why isnt the apple ios remote app not compatable with the new Apple TV?
Dont get me wrong... I like the new tv... I love some of the features .. But why release it with such obviouse shortcomings..
Who wins.... Its not like apple did not have time to iron out things at such basic level .. Its been years in the making !
But that is the negative side of things.
There are wonderful feature To the product too.
My favorits are:
The remote!
The new rewind/fast forward through the touch panal on the remote. Finally an accurate smooth way of doing this! Its fantastic.
Siri integration for so many functions... Will only get better .
Apps.
The arial screen savers.
All said.. I believe/hope all the negative issues and obviouse omissions will get resolved before holiday shoping season !
It can trully become a GREAT product!
Jesus, what a rant. It's a 1.0 OS release. Apple focused on the fundamentals, and making sure those were nailed. And i think they did a pretty damn good job. These features and refinements will come in time.
I have to lol at this:
"Forum comments" have never been evidence of anything. Also, reviews have been positive so far. Hilarious how you're trying to pretend that online bitching means anything.
[quote name="Yojimbo007" url="/t/189933/apple-tvs-tvos-found-to-support-app-folders#post_2801720"]Not allowing to have folders as it stands right now is a mistake by apple. Peope are not dumb... They can foresee a situation where lack of folders will creat an organizational mess .... So why leave that impression on consumers and disappoint them on omission of such a critical feature ... Who wins ? Nobody.. Consumer gets pissed and starts creating negative narrative. Apple gets blasted for rushed product or unfinished rough product..( all u have to do is look at the reviews and forum comments to see this) If it was a tactic by apple not to enable folders.. It was a screwed up one ! Same with siri and remote functionality for apple music... So many holes. Not providing a night mode or dark mode is another obviouse issue . The UI is way too bright in dark rooms. Siri search can not be locelized to an app....If one wants to JUST search netflix while in netflix app's search, one has to use the keyboard entry method! If one uses Siri one will get a semi universal search showing results outside of netflix too.... Why not allow both "app locelized siri search " and "universal siri search "? Why is universal search limited to a handful of apps? Why isnt the apple ios remote app not compatable with the new Apple TV? Dont get me wrong... I like the new tv... I love some of the features .. But why release it with such obviouse shortcomings.. Who wins.... Its not like apple did not have time to iron out things at such basic level .. Its been years in the making ! But that is the negative side of things. There are wonderful feature To the product too. My favorits are: The remote! The new rewind/fast forward through the touch panal on the remote. Finally an accurate smooth way of doing this! Its fantastic. Siri integration for so many functions... Will only get better . Apps. The arial screen savers. All said.. I believe/hope all the negative issues and obviouse omissions will get resolved before holiday shoping season ! It can trully become a GREAT product![/quote]WTF, man!