During their ‘Hello Again’ event, featuring new MacBook Pros, Apple kicked things off with a segue into their plans for a new TV App for the AppleTV and iOS platforms, focusing on how users consume content, with a drive to make the AppleTV the device where users consume all their TV and “change how we watch television”.
AppleTV TV app is exactly what it sounds, except not
The App features several categories, “Watch Now” will list TV episodes and movies you are currently watching, including series you may be binging, as well as new episodes of shows you follow.
“Up Next” shows the shows and movies users are watching, including recent purchases and rentals, presented in the order they’re most likely to watch first. To give an example, when an episode is finished the next one will automatically appear at the top of the Up Next queue.
Next up is the “Recommended” category which focuses more on curated content lists across TV series and movies available in iTunes, third party services that are subscribed to will also provide channel specific information here.
Finally, we have the “Store”, which much as you can imagine gives users an interface to the iTunes store allowing users to look for new releases and video services they have not yet subscribed to.
Siri also sees an upgrade, with a new feature being added that lets you tune in to live news and sporting events with a simple command. Siri is aware of sporting events from various apps, allowing for users to ask “Who is playing right now” or “Tune into the World Cup match”. In addition Siri can also provide details of scores and take viewers directly to the live stream within the app that provides it.
In addition to the new TV App, Twitter showed off twitter reactions for Apple TV owners, allowing users to view their twitter timelines as well as reactions to live events on their screen. Twitters product manager, Ryan Troy, noted that Bloomberg, Buzzfeed and NFL are all partnered to bring content to the platform.
The TV App will be available for 4th generation AppleTVs and iOS 10 devices via a free software update in December for U.S based customers. Live tune-in is available from today.