Amber Neely
Twitch, a live game streaming service, has released an Apple TV app public beta through TestFlight, giving users a chance to try out the service before it goes live.
While Twitch has had an iOS and desktop PC and Mac app for some time, this is marks the public debut of the app for Apple TV.
The app will boast the same features that the iOS and desktops apps do. Features include the ability to watch both live and prerecorded videos as well as the ability to participate in the on-screen chat.
Those who wish to take part in the Twitch public beta need to install and sign into Apple's TestFlight app on either an iPhone or iPad. Following that, install TestFlight on the Apple TV.
After the apps have been installed on the iOS device and the Apple TV, tap the public TestFlight Twitch link on the iOS device. It will then populate the Apple TV TestfFlight and can be run from there.
Twitch encourages users to use the tvOS app the same way they would use the other apps. The company states on their beta page that "we don't want to be too prescriptive so explore the app, watch streams, and try out different features. If you find a bug, the app crashes on you, or you encounter other issues send us your feedback."
The Amazon-owned streaming service has been around since early 2011, giving players the chance to livestream video games. Content on Twitch ranges from simple video game playthroughs to competitive speed runs, eSports broadcasts, game development streams, and more.
Since then, Twitch has expanded greatly. In addition to video game themed content, Twitch now regularly features tabletop and card game streams, art and culture streams, music streams, and "hangouts," in which viewers are encouraged to socialize with the broadcaster.
The jump to tvOS makes sense, as Twitch is now one of the largest video services on the internet. As of 2018, Twitch boasted over 2.2 million broadcasters, with 15 million daily active users, roughly half the amount of video-giant YouTube's daily active users in 2017.
Twitch also has well over 27,000 partner channels, giving popular streamers the ability to earn a share of the advertising revenue Twitch generates on their streams.
Andrew Orr
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
8 Comments
OMG its about freaking time! This should have been on AppleTV years ago.
Who cares? Ninja isn’t there anymore so what’s the draw?! /s
Will the tvOS version of Twitch support Twitch Prime, and will that be only in the US or also in other countries? Twitch Prime has different prices (and services?) in different countries.
Sure, after I finally break down and spend $15 on a Fire TV Stick thing for the sole purpose of watching Twitch without having to stream it from an iPhone or iPad.
Semiserious question: can you have a circletwitch? Where person 1 is streaming themself playing a video game watching person 2 streaming themself playing a video game watching person 3 streaming themself playing a video game while watching person one’s video game playing stream? It’s making a lot of sense in my head!