AppleInsider Staff
Apple on Wednesday supplied developers with a fourth pre-release beta of tvOS 10.1, a forthcoming update that will bring a new universal "TV" app, as well as single sign-on support for TV providers, to the company's streaming set-top box.
tvOS 10.1 beta 4 is now available on registered Apple TV devices via Software Update in the system's native Settings app. It can also be installed via iTunes with a USB-C cable. It's identified as build 14U588.
The update arrives 16 days after a third beta was issued. Separately, fourth betas of iOS 10.2, macOS Sierra 10.12.2, and watchOS 3.1.1 were provided to developers on Monday.
Like tvOS 10.1, iOS 10.2 also adds support for single sign-on. It allows users to enter their cable or streaming TV credentials once, and have them automatically entered in third-party apps that require subscription account information.
While still in beta, only a handful of television providers support Apple's new single sign-on feature. AT&T's DirecTV joined the ranks last week, alongside previous supporters Dish, Sling TV, Hotwire, and GVTC Communications.
For the feature to gain meaningful reach, other providers like Comcast, Spectrum and PlayStation Vue will need to add support.
As for the new "TV" app, it makes it easier for users to find and browse programs. Siri will let users jump straight into live streams, as long as the necessary apps are installed.
Christine McKee
Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Amber Neely
Andrew O'Hara
5 Comments
A step closer to TV App and single sign-on. Final release of tvos 10.1 should be in early December. But, with ATT Direct TV Now 3-months subscription cost of $35 x 3 months = $105 against 100+ channels for 3 months and free Apple-TV of $149. Not sure how this math works but I have no problem signing up for 3 months.
Except most major players are not on board with the single sign-on feature, so it is still considered vaporware. The TV app is nothing exciting because I do not look to AppleTV for watching live content. I would rather watch new HD broadcasts with my cable subscription, not an internet feed that is subjected to downtime or hiccups that can cause a failed stream or degraded quality. I do not know of anyone that watches live TV anymore, so who would really use the TV app anyway and be forced to watch commercials? The TiVo Roamio and TiVo Bolt 'commercial skip' feature is fantastic. One button push and immediate skip to bypass commercials. The AppleTV is great for Netflix, streaming on-demand, and your local media, but I will never use it for live content and suffering through commercials. There have been occasions when the Internet is down for whatever reason, but cable service still works and I can still watch and record TV.