Apps Help push ITV to launch an Apple TV app (UK)

[Joseph C]

Since we have nothing to compare it to in the UK I wondered if anyone knew about this:

- Do US networks which air commercials like ITV / C5 in the UK have non-skippable ads in their tvOS apps? How does this work with the Siri remote? Can you only scrub until the first set of ads?

- Do these networks push out HD content via catchup? Does Apple require it or is it up to the network to decide how high the quality is of the programming? Presumably all of them would support the tvOS scrubbing using the remote?

I really hope that when ITV / C5 come to Apple TV their apps, the content comes in HD. I’m more than happy to watch adverts if the content is HD, and it will mean I can ditch my PVR.

Even better will be if you can watch live TV in HD as well, using the TV App and Live Tune In. Saying to Siri “watch ITV” to tune in to ITV HD would be amazing. As would catchup programmes like dramas being in full HD and not terrible quality as the networks catchup offerings are here (with the exception of BBC iPlayer).

Be interesting to know how the Americans do it for clues.

 

[surfnode]

Since we have nothing to compare it to in the UK I wondered if anyone knew about this:

- Do US networks which air commercials like ITV / C5 in the UK have non-skippable ads in their tvOS apps? How does this work with the Siri remote? Can you only scrub until the first set of ads?

- Do these networks push out HD content via catchup? Does Apple require it or is it up to the network to decide how high the quality is of the programming? Presumably all of them would support the tvOS scrubbing using the remote?

I really hope that when ITV / C5 come to Apple TV their apps, the content comes in HD. I’m more than happy to watch adverts if the content is HD, and it will mean I can ditch my PVR.

Even better will be if you can watch live TV in HD as well, using the TV App and Live Tune In. Saying to Siri “watch ITV” to tune in to ITV HD would be amazing. As would catchup programmes like dramas being in full HD and not terrible quality as the networks catchup offerings are here (with the exception of BBC iPlayer).

Be interesting to know how the Americans do it for clues.

ITV is coming to new Apple TV - their logo was up on the keynote the other day!

 

[afd]

ITV is coming to new Apple TV - their logo was up on the keynote the other day!

I missed that, saw the My 5 logo though.

 

[Beyo]

I missed that, saw the My 5 logo though.

I saw that too but did you notice Sky Ticket? It's German service so question is what providers in U.K. Participate? BBC should.
Is there chance for U.K. Sky too?

 

[orbital~debris]

LOL - talk about a blind spot!

I also missed itv until seeing the screen shot in this thread. My excuse is I was looking for the on-screen 'itv' logo rather than their 'itv Hub' logo!

 

[Herde]

There is a page here on the itv website to add votes to the request for an apple tv app:

https://itvhub.uservoice.com/forums/247805-the-itv-hub/suggestions/10898274-itv-hub-for-tv-app-store

 

[afd]

I saw that too but did you notice Sky Ticket? It's German service so question is what providers in U.K. Participate? BBC should.
Is there chance for U.K. Sky too?

Probably not, I think they’d rather sell you multiroom than let you use Apple TVs throughout your house.

 

[-Gonzo-]

There is a page here on the itv website to add votes to the request for an apple tv app:

https://itvhub.uservoice.com/forums/247805-the-itv-hub/suggestions/10898274-itv-hub-for-tv-app-store

Did you miss the part of the thread that says ITV is coming to ATV towards the end of the year?

 

[gr4z]

Wonder if BT Sport will ever join the party? They pay all this money for football and rugby and then have a ***** system to watch it on! ATV support would be great rather than having to use dodgy Airplay.

 

[brandscill]

Wonder if BT Sport will ever join the party? They pay all this money for football and rugby and then have a ***** system to watch it on! ATV support would be great rather than having to use dodgy Airplay.

Have you ever asked them?

 

[TrueBlou]

No, never. It’s bad enough the wife watches that $**#$$ X Factor on my TV, I’m not going to let her infect my Apple TV with that arse gravy too

 

[Sakurambo-kun]

Even this does arrive someday, and it isn't horribly cut down and gimped as iPlayer and Now TV are on the ATV, I'm not sure it really matters anymore. Everyone has access to all the UK catch-up services via their TV. My LG B7 has them all, along with a decent Now TV app which blows away the horrible Apple TV one, and the usual 4K Netflix Dolby Vision and 4K Amazon HDR apps.

Unless Apple can something really innovative by bringing all these services together somehow (and raising the awful picture quality of the UK catch-up apps in the process), then I can't see them having much success. I have an Apple TV purely to play my iTunes collection and buy cheap 4K movies.

 

[Hermes Monster]

Even this does arrive someday, and it isn't horribly cut down and gimped as iPlayer and Now TV are on the ATV, I'm not sure it really matters anymore. Everyone has access to all the UK catch-up services via their TV. My LG B7 has them all, along with a decent Now TV app which blows away the horrible Apple TV one, and the usual 4K Netflix Dolby Vision and 4K Amazon HDR apps.

Unless Apple can something really innovative by bringing all these services together somehow (and raising the awful picture quality of the UK catch-up apps in the process), then I can't see them having much success. I have an Apple TV purely to play my iTunes collection and buy cheap 4K movies.

Upgrading everyone from HD to 4K is their killer feature, outside of this thread, I don't no anyone who cares about UK catch up TV. Though I am interested to see what the TV app looks like when it arrives in the UK

 

[Tricon]

ITV is coming to new Apple TV - their logo was up on the keynote the other day!

Bad news reported 18th Oct 17: "ITV doesn't have any current plans for the ITV Hub app to launch on Apple TV".

See this: https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/apple/apple-tv-watch-tv-on-demand-iplayer-all4-itv-3592121/

 

[-Gonzo-]

Bad news reported 18th Oct 17: "ITV doesn't have any current plans for the ITV Hub app to launch on Apple TV".

See this: https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/apple/apple-tv-watch-tv-on-demand-iplayer-all4-itv-3592121/

I’d take that with a pinch of salt to be honest as itv rarely give the game away until an apps ready to go.
I’ve seen this with Freesat and itv hub which they denied all knowledge then one day it just appeared.
Both itv and My5 logos were clearly shown at the keynote as being part of the TV app so there’s a very strong chance you won’t see anything until that’s been rolled out.

 

[QuiteGrumpy]

Bad news reported 18th Oct 17: "ITV doesn't have any current plans for the ITV Hub app to launch on Apple TV".

See this: https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/apple/apple-tv-watch-tv-on-demand-iplayer-all4-itv-3592121/

I wouldn’t take the details in that vaguely written article as meaning much, not given the fact that the ITV Hub logo appeared on stage at an Apple event. I suspect that information is not from a contemporary source. I bet we see the App by the end of November, around the time we get the Amazon app and Apple’s TV app.

 

[Tricon]

Cheers Gonzo and QuiteGrumpy, I will certainly keep my fingers crossed for an ITV Hub app.

I currently Airplay to my ATV using the ITV Hub website in iOS Safari on the iPhone as Airplay does not work from the iOS app. It's a bit temperamental with random pauses but it works. Airplay used to work from the iOS App to ATV but an update way back causes the screen to go blank after playing all the commercials perfectly.

 

[Hermes Monster]

It better still be coming, or that TV App is going to be pretty empty

 

[brandscill]

They’re Twitter team flip flop from saying it’s in the works to not at the moment. Most of the stuff Macworld write these days is crappy click bait.

It also has a lot of inaccuracies as to app availability on other devices

 

[George Dawes]

most of itv's produce is utter crap , mind numbing soaps , love island garbage and repeats of columbo with loads of dreadful adverts ruining the plot

between iplayer and itunes i don't miss constopation street or emmerdrivel thx very much

they can keep itv , channel 4 and most of all channel 5

as much as i dislike the bbc and everything they stand for at least they make stuff worth watching

 

[brandscill]

most of itv's produce is utter crap , mind numbing soaps , love island garbage and repeats of columbo with loads of dreadful adverts ruining the plot

between iplayer and itunes i don't miss constopation street or emmerdrivel thx very much

they can keep itv , channel 4 and most of all channel 5

as much as i dislike the bbc and everything they stand for at least they make stuff worth watching

Ken like an All 4 app. Could live without ITV

 

[You're Kidding?]

I’d take that with a pinch of salt to be honest as itv rarely give the game away until an apps ready to go.
I’ve seen this with Freesat and itv hub which they denied all knowledge then one day it just appeared.
Both itv and My5 logos were clearly shown at the keynote as being part of the TV app so there’s a very strong chance you won’t see anything until that’s been rolled out.

Just in case anybody missed it - here is screenshot:

 

[Sakurambo-kun]

I sent ITV a message a few days ago to ask them about this. They said they couldn't give away the release date but it would be "very soon". I also sent messages to Channel 5, Channel 4, and UKTV. None replied.

Personally I don't watch ITV, but it's an important service all the same, and one which isn't quite as commonly available to stream as the likes of All4 and Demand5, which are pretty much everywhere. (except on the ATV)

Personally I think what the ATV needs most from a UK perspective is Amazon, and big upgrades to the moribund, bare bones iPlayer and Now TV apps. What will happen when iPlayer finally starts properly broadcasting 4K HDR? The current very basic app doesn't have access to the 4K HDR trial which is on other platforms, and I don't believe Apple even support the required codec. (it uses Hybrid Log Gamma)

 

[brandscill]

I hope the introduction of ITV and Amazon will spur Channel 4 on.

 

[Cheesybugger]

My5 app now available in the UK. Let’s hope ITV hub etc follow soon.