What is the point of TV app?

[metsjetsfan]

Is it just an aggregator? I dont remember the keynote but I was under the impression that you could watch videos in the app itself but it actually redirects to the actual media app. Therefore the only benefits are:

- Single sign on which is not avail for many apps.
- Movie or episode discovery. which seems useless until they show you or filter out watched episodes

Am I missing other benefits?

One last unreated Q can you now stream your purchased movies from apple/itunes without the entire movie data being stuck in cache? I remember you had to do a small workaround to clear it.

 

[zorinlynx]

Doesn't seem to have a point if you are a cord cutter.

I went into settings on my ATV4, set the home button to take you to the top level again, and proceeded to forget the TV app exists. I only use Netflix, HBO Now and Plex there, so it seemed pointless to me.

I'm guessing for non-cord-cutters who have a TV provider signin, it's useful. But not for the likes of me.

 

[white4s]

I deleted it immediately after the update.

 

[xraydoc]

I deleted it immediately after the update.

But it replaces the old Video app (at least for the US release). Does the old Videos app come back if you delete "TV"?

 

[aristobrat]

Therefore the only benefits are:

Hopefully this will be like WatchOS and HomeKit, where the first few versions don't really make that much sense, but lay the groundwork for cooler things to come.

 

[Armen]

But it replaces the old Video app (at least for the US release). Does the old Videos app come back if you delete "TV"?

No it doesn't. I have at least 4 concerts I watch on my phone alongside the 20 or so movies I've purchased.

 

[EM2013]

Pretty dumb to go into an app to take you to another app. I'll just use it for movies stored on my phone.

 

[metsjetsfan]

Pretty dumb to go into an app to take you to another app. I'll just use it for movies stored on my phone.

Yeah its basically just a glorified launcher at this point

 

[ericgtr12]

Hopefully this will be like WatchOS and HomeKit, where the first few versions don't really make that much sense, but lay the groundwork for cooler things to come.

Homekit is a good analogy, still way behind the rest of the market when it comes to home automation.

 

[aristobrat]

Homekit is a good analogy, still way behind the rest of the market when it comes to home automation.

Yup! But to me, that's a coin with two sides...

One side -- they're behind the rest of the market
The other side -- the design they're implementing is different from anything else on the market (IMO)

Even with as behind as HomeBridge is, it's (I think) the only solution on the market today that lets me control all of these devices from either natively within iOS/watchOS (or through third-party apps like Eve, ConnectedSense, etc):

• Insteon devices (switches, outlets, motion detectors)
• z-wave devices (fan control)
• WeMo (outlet)
• MyQ (garage door)
• Yahama A/V receiver

Granted, I have to use a software bridge to do all of that, but the fact that HomeKit can expand its reach via bridges/hubs (made by other people) says a lot to is design philosophy. I haven't seen the community be able to expand the other "more mature" solutions on the market today like that.

I wonder if "TV" is going to be more of a framework like HomeKit (so other apps can tap into its functionality), or if it's just going to stay an app.