Just read a synopsis of the Mac event that occurred today, and it appears there’s a new cross-platform (iOS/tvOS/macOS) TV app coming.
Would be super cool if Channels was somehow a tied into this. http://www.apple.com/tvos/
This is an invite only feature only available to select Apple partners. There are no APIs available for us to integrate with.
No Netflix makes it pretty useless for most imo
maybe should we start tweeting at tim cook to open this and sir up to Channels? 
Well, maybe someday Apple will loosen up…
Wonder if they’ll remove Netflix from universal search too.
doubt it. Netflix probably want people going into their own app, not Apples.
Actually, the TV app is designed to work with the content providers’ apps, so it wouldn’t stop Netflix users from using the Netflix app. I realize how confusing that sounds, so it’s probably best to just watch the demo (around 16:00). I’m sure Apple has their reasons for keeping it limited to a few partners, but it’s very frustrating. Hopefully, they will open it up before too long.
HBO and STARZ were in the DEMO so I would be surprised if NETFLIX would be prevented from being part of it. But my guess is NETFLIX would need to support it at least. Once watching a show from say STARTZ it showed that you can exit into the STARZ App. I would think that would be the same for NETFLIX. I think the TV App is a pretty good start.
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If the live TV info from Channels could get pulled into the new Apple TV app, it would be great! Otherwise, the app ends up missing a big part of the whole picture of what’s on/available to watch.
Integrating live OTA TV into their new app could be a very big differentiator for Apple TV that Channels could be a part of – and without it, it ends up being a huge miss for Apple.
There has to be a way to elevate this???
The TV app is more about discovery and tracking which episode to watch next of the shows you’ve been watching. Something that is sorely needed on the platform.
It doesn’t make much sense for Channels and live TV. It would obviously be great for Channels DVR though.
One thing that people are going to run into with the new TV app and the Up Next feature is how awkward it starts to work with multiple family members.
Netflix has solved this with profiles. But the TV app neither has profiles, nor would it respect Netflix’s profiles. This is likely a reason Netflix opted out. They actually provide a better solution.
One big issue that aggregation like this presents, is that it starts turning content providers more of a public utility than a brand. That’s great for you and me, that’s how we consider them. But it’s potentially devastating to them. As the biggest streaming brand in the business, this is also a likely reason Netflix has decided to opt out.
In my opinion, that’s a big miss. Live TV should be part of this app – whether it is live streaming from different apps or from Channels. If it is supposed to be the one go to place to find/discover what to watch (which was in their messaging when they presented it), it’s a must to include live TV.
Even if Channels can’t get in on this, I would have expected apps like FX, Showtime, etc. that have live streams would be there so you could browse what’s on and tune in. They just need another screen – labeled “On Now” or simply “Live TV” – that presents all the live streams you could select.
Netflix has said they won’t be involved, at least at launch. The content provider needs to opt in, and Netflix has not.
Don’t get me wrong. With them pushing Live tv like they are, I agree. But that’s not what this app is right now. It’s an aggregation of what you’re currently watching via “on demand” services.
There’s no concept of time at all. So there’s certainly no room for Channels’ data in it.
I assume that eventually they’ll add a guide to show what’s currently on live feeds, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for that to be open to any third parties. Nothing else has yet.
The part of this feature that would be awesome is the ability to ask Siri to tune to ‘live’ streams.
Is there no way for Channels to integrate with this feature? It would be amazing to just hit Siri and say ‘Watch MSNBC’, and have Channels come up and tune to that station.
I suspect that is invite-only as well. Apple has to figure out how to handle namespace collisions (if I say ‘Watch CNN’ does it pull up the CNN app’s live stream, or Channel tuned to CNN?).
I agree that the Siri integration is the way to go with the Channels app. Your example of CNN would apply well for the native CNNgo Apple TV app because most wouldn’t get CNN via Channels since it is DRM protected. Conversely, I would want Siri integration with my Channels app to get me to the live CBS broadcast because I don’t want to pay CBS again for their service that I already get with my CableCard/HDHomeRun setup. The big question remains - will Apple open up the Siri API for Channels to supports live TV?
Ok - I hear you. Channels will still have the top spot on my Apple TV since it is definitely our most used app. This new Apple app will hopefully complement it nicely to integrate across all the on-demand content.
I agree on your earlier comment that profiles could be nice for a family – or at least some type of sort/filter feature on categories/genres. Netflix does have the profiles feature, and I noticed they finally added an ability to browse by categories/genre to their Apple TV app (which was missing for a while even though it was in their iPad app, Xbox app, etc.) – which is nice since the categories they spoon feed to me don’t always get me to what I want to watch.
I am hoping the new Apple app will have a common genre/category browse feature also – and not just their recommendations. Recommendations are nice, but sometimes you just want to browse through different genres/categories to explore and find something.
I really wanted Channels to work for me but all of my channels are encrypted. As soon as DirecTV Now comes out on Apple TV, I’m done. Lack of DRM will kill this app.
I am pretty impressed with the development activity surrounding the Apple TV and the Channels ATV application. I have been searching for a simple solution since I use the ATV for all of my TV viewing (Netflix, iTunes Store). To be able to integrate OTA TV within this environment really rounds out this device for my needs. I purchased a HDHR Extend and I am looking forward to using it with this application. I am looking forward to giving this a spin to see how it goes. The idea of integrating DVR into the app is a bonus.
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"There's no concept of time at all"?
There is an implicit chronological nature to "Up Next". Its intrinsic to the feature. Shows are ordered with respect to which you watched last.
I'm not sure why you don't think Live TV has a place here - we also exchanged this over Twitter, so its not the first time I've heard you say it. So I definitely get that you believe it. We come from a different place in this though. I could not disagree more.
Live TV absolutely can and should have a prominant place front and center of the TV app. Live TV has something that on demand simply cannot reproduce, the sense of buzz and excitement around "seeing it happen live" along with everyone else.
Apple would be insane to not tap into that.
Here's an example what I'm talking about (3/4 way down the article, check the Live TV mockup)
https://9to5mac.com/2016/10/31/apple-tv-app-web-tv-service/
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