Apple TV and iOS gain unified television experience with new 'TV' app

Aiming to make it easier to find content across a range of services and apps, Apple on Thursday unveiled 'TV,' a new application for tvOS and iOS that allows users to browse and search for content in one convenient place. It will arrive for free in December.

"It will completely change how you watch TV with your Apple TV, as well as with your iPhone and iPad," Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said.

A "Watch Now" pane gives curated top picks that users can browse. Once a show has been viewed, it's added to an "Up Next" queue to make it easy to pick up where you left off with a series. Progress is synced across Apple devices.

Rented or owned content is available in a "Library" tab. A "Store" section lets people hunt for new material across services, and a "Recommended" tab will push curated and trending video, with categories and genres.

Apple's new TV app also integrates with Siri. In an onstage demonstration, a user was shown asking Siri to play "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," and an episode immediately began to play, picking up at the exact point where the user last left off.

Siri has also gained support for live TV, allowing users to ask to tune into programming on demand. In another onstage example, Siri was used to watch a Saturday college football game in progress, and to switch between other games being played.

Apple's new "TV" app will be available for free with a software update for tvOS and iOS. An integral part of this will be long-delayed single sign-on support for the Apple TV, also coming in December.

40 Comments

mac_128 3452 comments · 12 Years

About 8 years ago

I'm using most of these features on an unlocked Roku device at a place I"m staying, and while this improves on it in some respects, it mostly limits the user to the same cumbersome interface. But it's definitely a step forward ...

daven 722 comments · 16 Years

sog35 said:

This is worthless if your cable company does not allow streaming on devices (Time Warner/Charter communications)

I have Charter cable internet and can stream on my devices. What are you talking about?

lowededwookie 1175 comments · 16 Years

I seriously doubt we'll ever see this in New Zealand.

How long have TV Shows been available in iTunes? All that time and New Zealand still does not have access to them.

This needs to change. We have Netflix (although hobbled at the moment) but I really want TV Shows available in iTunes.

Maybe this app is going to fix this and give us what we want but I'm not holding my breath.

fallenjt 4056 comments · 13 Years

sog35 said:

daven said:

sog35 said:

This is worthless if your cable company does not allow streaming on devices (Time Warner/Charter communications)

I have Charter cable internet and can stream on my devices. What are you talking about?

I'm with Time Warner which was purchased by Charter. With Time Warner I can't stream live TV. Only a few channels.

Hope this changes once Charter takes over 100%

Not true. You can stream live TV except the sport events.

paxman 4729 comments · 17 Years

Ca't you just get lowededwookie said:

a US iTunes Account? It is a bit of a pain to get the gift cards (don't buy on eBay), but if you have a friend in the US who can help you it is pretty straight forward.