Update Now TV app for apple TV

[Anonymous User]

Will the Now TV app for Apple TV ever get an update?

The current version is complete rubbish and makes me regret ever getting a Now TV pass.

Unless there is an update my Now TV experience will be very short indeed.

[nst]

Hi everyone in the long suffering AppleTV owners thread...

I feel quite despondent now..

So here we are.  I was so convinced that the 5.1 'problem' would be fixed miraculously after a year on Firestick... however this hasn't come to pass.

I remain utterly bemused why 5.1 isnt working when it IS blatantly working on the live streams in the app.

I tried one more time to Tweet customer support but they replied with a 'cant help you or tell you when'... a far cry from Dec 2020 when they said 'will be fixed soon'.

So, it now feels to me like maybe they will never sort it out.  I mean, if they havent been able to in the 1 year plus its been out then whats the issue?

they certainly dont seem to care.

[Anonymous User]

personally what i would like to see is the app running smooth, its really glitchy and the frame rate is often terrible, also ive noticed that when watching a tv series, after an episode finishes the next episode does not auto play, infact the app just hangs on a blank screen and you have to back out before you can continue and select a new episode.

i dont think this is to much to ask as we dont have any of these problems in the Netflix app (before you say it is my apple tv or internet) the app have been deleted and reinstalled and no change.

[Breaking_Bad]

I would like to see the app updated for both the third and fourth generation Apple TV's (as both of these devices are currently sold by Apple).  

I own own both devices and I would note the frame rate issues are less apparent on the 3rd generation but both Apps are frustratingly in need of an update. 

[Anonymous User]

I love it when Apps on Apple TV gets updated lol. Now TV app needs new UI and really it's time for the app to get updated. 

[nickmorc]

Still waiting inanticipation for an update LOL

I think we might be waiting a long, long time !

[Anonymous User]

1, Siri integration from the Apple TV's home screen
2, Add the "My TV" section from iOS to the Apple TV version of the app
3, Display top shows at the top of the screen if the app is put on the top row of apps on the Apple TV home screen
4, Utilise the AppleTV's 32gb or 64gb of memory to allow the pausing or rewinding of live TV like the Channels app does
5, Have a proper scrolling TV guide for live TV covering all the channels on all passes instead of just the next two shows of just that channel.
6, Set program reminders and have these pop up on the screen, even when using another app. If you hit "ok" on the reminder, it then auto navigates to that live TV channel in the NowTV app
7, Reduce the cost of the Sports Month Pass by £5-£10
8, get live BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 onboard with catch up available too.

[moroboshi]

You're wasting your time. The app needs a total ground up re-write, but it will never happen. 

Look at effort Sky put into their Now TV apps on literally every other platform. Night and day difference. Every feature people are clamouring for on the ATV, minus Siri and top shelf obviously, already exists in those other Now TV apps. 

The reason the Apple TV app is so utterly dreadful is that it isn't really an Apple TV 4 app at all. It's a port of an Apple TV 3 app, and those ran on very antiquated and simplistic hardware. All Apple TV 3 apps were just text on black screens with tiny thumbnails as it was impossible to do anything else. when Sky cobbled together that old app the Now TV platform lacked all the niceties of other streaming services, - no My List, no last watched, no TV guide, no remembering where you are in a series etc. As the platform developed Sky updated every Now TV accordingly except the Apple TV app. When the Apple TV 4 came out Sky did literally the least work possible and ported their useless ATV 3 app over. 

So what you're looking at is an app which is a good 3 years old at least and has never been updated. It's clear that it will never receive the re-write is clearly needs, to give it the modern (ish) UI and functionality from the PS4 and Roku apps. It's abandonware. The only way sky would ever update it would be to fix it if a future TVOS update killed it. 

[Breaking_Bad]

I for one would like to see any kind of update for Apple TV. Anything would be better than how it currently looks/works. 

[nickmorc]

Bob Hope and No Hope sadly. 

[Anonymous User]

Recently watched
Favourites

Both these items would be good as standard. It's quite frustrating as a new subscriber to NowTV using my AppleTV to have to search for what I'm watching every time.

[Anonymous User]

To quote an earlier post from 2015: 

"I noticed that when watching a tv series, after an episode finishes the next episode does not auto play, infact the app just hangs on a blank screen and you have to back out before you can continue and select a new episode."

Unfortunately this is still the case in October 2016!! 

And on my new TV4....!

If only we could use the IOS app that works properly??

It's very offputting to have this malarkey every time you watch a series.......tortoise' at work, no hares?

Please don't ignore this any longer and with your restrictive monthly screen replacements b.....y annoying.

We are paying for this frustration......

......tortoise' at work, no hares?

[Anonymous User]

Apple TV verson: 3rd Generation

Not sure there is any point adding to this post, as it looks like Sky only bothered posting one response in April saying how much they love to hear what their customers want ...then ignore it for half a year.  Anyway, the reason I am here is because I have just started using NowTV, and I am trying to find out how to continue watching a film (yes, I insist on calling it a film rather than 'movie'.  Can't believe people in this country call push chairs buggies, soon women will be using 'pocket books')

Rant on Americanisation (my good, an 's') of this country over...

The following article led me to believe that you can only do this from a PC

http://help.nowtv.com/article/My-TV-and-watchlists

So I came to the forum, as I couldn't quite believe that these features would be missing.  Well, this thread has proven it to be the case.

I can add to my watch and list and continue watching Netflix from any app, even on my two (maybe three) year old TV that has had no updates that I am aware of...

I have left Sky partly due to the cost, but also the appaling way they pay no attention to complaints about their Sky box software (fed up with missing series of linked programmes, and the box freezing/unable to switch on).

Looks like NowTV is just as bad, if not worse (at least I could easily select a programme I was watching on a Sky box ..if it wasn't frozen).  The one good thing is that I haven't had to buy a box from Sky.  I bet there are thousands of Sky boxes collecting dust when people are fed up paying for 'very little' ...and the box becomes useless because they cripple it from recording anything, great for the environment  Don't you just love Sky ...????

[Scottie79]

I would like to see the Apple TV 4 app updated to look like the Now TV Box app. The UI looks much smarter on the now tv box, or even it could look like it does on the iPhone/iPad, would be a great improvement.

mainly for me is more fluidity changing channels. Would be great to bring up the now and next guide and scroll through the channels, then switch to the one I want without having to click back, then scroll to the channel the click ok to watch like we currently have to do.

im not bothered with the Siri integration, would be a nice touch, but rarely use it as it never brings up the right program or film, have a mixed accent so don't think it always understands me lol

[Anonymous User]

Unless the AppleTV app is heavily improved - particularly the poor video codec - then my subscription is being cancelled. I have tried to enjoy the NowTV experience on AppleTV and I am afraid I cannot kid myself any more - it is very poor. When I also consider that for similar cost I get a far better experience from Netflix and a much smoother video delivery there is no contest.

[Anonymous User]

Just cancelled my subscription. I'm sick and tired of waiting for Sky to give the Apple TV app the attention it needs, whilst still expecting us to pay the same amount for an inferior experience. If the app gets a complete rewrite into something usable, I may consider returning.

But to be honest, I'm really not sure Sky content is worth subscribing to anymore. I get my films elsewhere (Netflix, Amazon, Apple), I don't watch Sport at all, and I have BT TV for access to the most important non-Sky pay channels.

[Anonymous User]

Hi Nopw TV - the whole reason that i bought my apple tv was so that i could play all of my subscriptions through one port as my TV is quire old and my you view box will not play now tv entertainment only films.

Now i find that it is a really poor version when i ask Siri to search he says that is not available in my region - what ever that means and he cannot explain what that means.

I too will be leaving my subscription if this is not resolved soon and move back to netflix or amazon prime.

[Anonymous User]

After waiting almost a year since any communication about an NowTV update from Sky, we are still no further on. This is no longer an update you can skimp on. I'm also cancelling my subscription, as there are better apps i.e. Netflix, TV Player, BBC iPlayer on the Apple TV App Store that take full advantage of the system.

An update isn't coming anytime soon.

I'm cancelling NowTV aswell

[Anonymous User]

Having recently got Apple TV I can not believe how awful the app is and that these issues have still not been resolved from these posts.

Suggested improvements would be that you update the app to provide the same services as on other platforms. Having gone from using the app on a windows laptop I'm astonished at how poor the app for Apple TV and that it has not been resolved for this long.

There are features missing that are an integral part of using the service. This being that there is:

1) No 'My Tv'
2) No 'Watchlist'
3) No 'Continue Watching'
4) No 'watch next'

Not having these makes the whole process of using now tv tedious.

Having spoken to customer services I was told these issues would be resolved with an app update 'very soon'. No answer could be provided as to when this would be other than 'within a year' and was told there was no one I could speak to who would provide a more accurate timescale.

It is awful that you charge the same for a service that differs so much based on the users platform. It does not appear any action is being taken to resolve these shortfalls or reassure Apple TV customers of a resolution that would prevention losing customers.

Is there anyone out there that can tell me when this will be resolved?

[Anonymous User]

I'd like to see the Apple TV4 native app offer something more in line with the current iOS offerings (which should not take too long to port to tvOs) e.g.

GUI facelift to match iOS apps

Favourites

Auto Play Next Episode

Currently Watching

Latest Releases listed on ATV home page

Longer term, an update to the codec quality and Siri search integration would be nice, but an experience akin to Netflix who provide a consistent experience accross ALL devices.  As it is, I'm about ready to jump ship elsewhere due to the limitiations and inconvenience of the current app.

A guarantee that improvements to the AppleTV4 app are being worked upon within a reasonable timeframe would keep me interested and would give me confidence in recommending the platform to others.

[Anonymous User]

I would echo some of the comments already posted.

Compared to other versions of the app (iOS, PS4) this needs some improvements and quickly. The missing My TV option is crazy. If I start watching a series I have to search for it every time I want to watch the next episode (the screen blacks out at the end of an episode so I need to back out to refresh the listing). What is the point of my adding programmes to My TV if I can't see them on the Apple TV?

It should also have better sections for "most popular". There is a disconnect between what I see on the iOS App in the featured section compared to the Apple TV app. how about recommendations based on what I have watched?

Under the live TV section is there a reason you cannot add the freeview channels? i.e. BBC, Channel 4 etc? This would make the app my go to choice.

I would use the PS4 app as this has better functions but the streaming quality there is awful. Most of the time it is too pixelated to be watchable!

[Anonymous User]

Subscription cancelled. Feel much better for that. If they cannot be arsed to fix the app for AppleTV users then they can swivel.