Facebook Video launches for Apple TV with support for live streams

Facebook on Tuesday launched Facebook Video, a new tvOS app that allows fourth-generation Apple TV owners to view pre-recorded video content, including live streams, on the big screen.

Revealed earlier this month, Facebook Video is a free app designed to put a focus on video shared across the social network. As expected, the app pulls videos from user feeds, strips out accompanying text and displays the clips in an interactive carousel for easy TV viewing.

After logging in via an initial iOS device notification request, or alternatively by entering a unique link code through Facebook's website, users are taken to a landing page occupied by four main "channels" — "Shared by Friends," "Following," "Top Live Videos" and "Recently Watched."

As its title suggests, "Shared by Friends" is populated with videos that were recently shared by friends. Hovering over a particular window triggers a live preview. The clip's origin, post date and general information is listed above the playback pane, while data about who shared the video, total content shares and total views resides below. Clicking through on Siri Remote enlarges the video to full-screen mode.

The same format is used for "Following," which offers users a selection of videos posted to the Facebook feeds of followed people and pages. "Recently Watched" provides a view history that appears to sync with Facebook's mobile app and web interface.

Onscreen controls are limited to tagging videos with Facebook's animated "reaction" buttons, which can be accessed by a long press on Apple's Siri Remote.

The "Top Live Videos" is a bit more interactive and offers a sampling of live feeds arranged by current active viewers. In full-screen mode, a stream of live chat posts appears in the bottom left corner, though Apple TV users are unable to join in the conversation.

Swiping up in either a pre-recorded video or live video stream brings up a list of related, or recommended, content. Other miscellaneous system controls include the ability to follow broadcasters, save channels, hide videos and report content.

Facebook Video is a free 32.1MB download from the tvOS App Store.