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.

[Anonymous User]

I agree. I find the beta app practically unusual as I can't easily skip
forward and backwards in 10-second increments. The beta is so cumbersome
that I've actually gone back to the old app and track what I'm watching via
the app on my phone.

[Hooba]

Watching Sky Sports Football it certainly looks like 50FPS. I'll download Xcode and keep an eye on resolution over next few days. Does look promising though. 5.1 next ... ?

[nst]

@BSMoxham 

It is undoubtedly better than the old app - but then..... (5 years old port from even older app from previous generation appletv box)

It looks fine for sure, however I have to say that it is still far behind the 1080p of the boost enhanced content.

Ive tried to watch a couple of things for testing purposes but every time I have to give up as the picture just looks way softer and lower res than im used to on the NowTV box with boost.

I know that 1080p is hardly the second coming... but when you compare the same content in 720 vs boost's 1080 there is a distinct difference and you generally wont want to go back. Your TV might well be a 4K upscaler, and the 720 might look better than you hope with some TV wizardry... but as I say the 1080p version is markedly better.

This is my main fear for the new app.  Without boost I wont be able to use it.

[BSMoxham]

@nst 

I’ve got a 65” OLED and this definitely isn’t a 720p image upscaled. If anything, the OLED would pick up issues like artefacts.

I took advantage of the Sports deals (£20pm for 3 months) and the boost (have an entertainment pass) for £6 for 3 months and as I’ve said, could be stuff under the hood that they’re playing about with. But I’m definitely seeing a marked improvement in the picture quality from previous times I’ve used the app (was on the previous beta).

[dr_necessitor]

@nst 

“I know that 1080p is hardly the second coming... but when you compare the same content in 720 vs boost's 1080 there is a distinct difference and you generally wont want to go back. Your TV might well be a 4K upscaler, and the 720 might look better than you hope with some TV wizardry... but as I say the 1080p version is markedly better.”

Yup, and particularly noticeable when watching Live Sport (when there was some...)

Also “Boost” is required to get better 5.1 sound (where that’s available)

[Enapace]

@dr_necessitor 

To be honest with sport it's likely more the 50FPS which is a bigger improvement then the 1080p versus 720p.

[dr_necessitor]

@Enapace 

“To be honest with sport it's likely more the 50FPS which is a bigger improvement then the 1080p versus 720p.”

yes that’s true, thanks for mentioning it, keep forgetting that 50fps is *another* feature of “Boost”!

certainly see (and hear) the difference that “Boost” gives when watching on a Roku Streaming Stick+

but obvs “Boost” isn’t supported on the tv beta trial (although the PQ certainly does look far superior via the tv 4k, which might be partly due to the 4k telly doing a bit of  upscaling, however the audio quality sounds inferior due being to stereo only and not 5.1)

[Anonymous User]

IF it IS the case that 'everything is controlled by Apple' and NowTV are just providing the content, then surely the solution would be to integrate directly with Apple's forthcoming TV app in the UK (like Amazon will be).  As far as I can see this is the only way AppleTV users may possibly get a half decent experience as it's pretty obvious a decent native app is not coming 😞  Last time I give my money to a Murdoch company.

[Anonymous User]

Don't set your expectations too high for Apple's TV app.  It doesn't replace the apps for other streaming services.  It merely collects the shows you watch or thinks you should watch.  If you select a show you want to watch from the TV app (and the NowTV app has been designed to integrate with TV), it will pop up a screen that asks you if you want to purchase the show or open it in the NowTV app.  The only advantage is that it should take you directly to the show you selected, rather than having to hunt for it after you have been bounced to the NowTV app.  That's how it integrates with HBO, Hulu, etal, anyway.  The key is, the NowTV app has to be redeveloped to integrate with TV.

[Anonymous User]

Stoli412 is spot on - devs create the app they want and submit to Apple. This is new on ATV4.

You could always get a new NowTV box for free at the moment. Yes, I know it's and extra box and remote. It's the quickest fix you're likely to get!

[Scottie79]

Yep the UI isn't pretty to look at on Apple, but I generally just watch live tv, a very cheap way for me to watch sky.

Would like it to look more like the roku ui.

Let's compare Netflix, several categories are missing compared to Apple tv3. Doesn't show the whole library as pushes programmes it wants you to watch in random categories. ATV3 allows a full library listing, and I actually prefer the old interface as I hate the same regurgitated rubbish being recommended to me, more like some providers paid more to push their programming first and sons of those unique little shows/movies in the library get missed. ATV4 is missing GLBT, Foreign films/French/German/Spanish/Italian/Scandinavian/Eastern European/World Categories. The independent films is missing about 60 films as you scroll through. Frankly it's useless!!

[Scottie79]

So yep Netflix looks pretty, but in reality it isn't that good unless you know what you want to watch, the atv3 version allowed you to browse more movies than the atv4.

Nowtv is the same between atv3 and atv4, except the colour of the app is orange on atv3 and still the old green on atv4. ATV3 tends to be more stable, but think that's more due to there not really being any Apple software updates on ATV3 whereas there are always updates on atv4, especially the with apps interface.

Overall I find the now to picture quality far superior compared to roku, both live and on demand, especially with live sports and fast moving picture frames, and compared to the satellite broadcast I find there to be little difference, not enough for me to justify the additional expense.

[Breaking_Bad]

I can't believe they are about to increase the cost of viewing and still have not addressed this. I am very close to cancelling my subscription now

[Anonymous User]

I'm a new NOW TV subscriber and use Apple TV. I can't believe how bad this app is. I'm not looking for much

Number 1 request - it should at least remember what I've watched and make it easy to watch the next episode

Number 2 request - allow the My List feature to sync across from web or other devices.

That would do !  Please !

I'll be cancelling after my offer period 😞

[Anonymous User]

It’s all about control. It’s always ever been about control. This isn’t a NOW TV thing, but a TV thing in general. Everyone wants you using their box, in order to funnel you towards their services. The thing is, this all goes pear-shaped when your service is really the driver of profit, and when people are sick of the waste involved in having a bunch of separate devices, all individually powered, cluttering up their TVs.

And there’s really no excuse for it. Any company can submit a full tvOS app, in the same manner as an iOS one. On Apple TV, Amazon at least appears to finally be coming to its senses, but few others are. Some (such as Channel 4) have at least ‘supported’ the box in as much as allowing fully working AirPlay. NOW TV, though, is just a joke.

I don’t think anyone from NOW TV needs to reply here, because it’s very obvious this is a dead app. It will be patched to the level that it continues to play content, and get the odd internal update (such as subtitles on seemingly random shows), but that’s it. My hope is Apple kills pre-tvOS apps with the next release of the OS and forces NOW TV’s hand. I doubt it will though.

As for NOW TV, I’d just like less of the dishonestly. Support since the release of the Apple TV has gone with the flowery “we hope to have news for you soon” rubbish. Just admit the app isn’t going to ever be updated in any meaningful sense, and tell people you’d prefer they use your own NOW TV box.

And, yeah, that price increase. Ouch. I think once Game of Thrones is over, I’m done.

[Anonymous User]

The people defending NowTV in this thread is laughable. 

So a quick summary of the history of the NowTV app on Apple TV. 

1. Apple collaborated with Sky to create a NowTV app on the Apple TV. This needed to be a collaboration as the Apple TV didn’t have an App Store. Any updates to this had to be done via Apple. 

2. Apple release the 4th gen Apple TV and introduce an App Store. I can only imagine there were conversations with sky about the Now TV app and for some reason a decision was made to continue using the same code and UI from the original Apple TV version and just wrap is up as an App Store app. Thiis meant the 1.0 (or whatever version it is) requires assistance from Apple to update it as they were the ones that actually created it. 

3. As the App Store allows any paid app developers to submit new apps or develop new updates to existing apps this is completely in the hands of Now TV. So if Now TV wanted to develop and submit a 2.0 version of Now TV (to look however Now TV see fit while aligning to App Store guidelines) they could do. 

4. As of right now Now TV (not Apple) have chosen not to release a new 2.0 version. Which is why Apple still need to be involved in fixing the existing one (via customer complains to Now TV).

5. I think the Now TV service is great with the sole exception of the Apple TV app. I have no idea why Now TV have closen not to update the app but the people on this forum need to stop trying to blame apple for something that is completely and solely in the control of Now TV. There is absolutely no point in trying to make slight updates to the existing app via Apple. It need a completely rewritten (ideally all native in swift) 2.0 app and only Now TV can instigate this. 

6. There may be some light at the end of the tunnel as Now Tv is mentioned on the new Apple TV 4K box and on advertising shows Siri being asked about the next game on sky sports. This is functionality that right now is not possible so could be hinting finally at an update. Though I really won’t be holding my breath without some solid comms from sky or Now TV. 

I hope this clears things up and stops the conversation going round in circles. 

[Anonymous User]

Hi,

I just bought an Apple TV 4K as I am trying to consolidate all my on demand viewing on one box. I have used the app on my LG TV and it is great.

Unfortunately the Apple TV one seems quite basic. I hope there are plans to update this. Can anyone from NowTV confirm any future plans.

Also here's an idea, let the community build the app for you. Have a competition on either design or building an app for you.

Let's hope for some good news soon.

[moroboshi]

---

@Anonymous User wrote:

Hi,

I just bought an Apple TV 4K as I am trying to consolidate all my on demand viewing on one box. I have used the app on my LG TV and it is great.

Unfortunately the Apple TV one seems quite basic. I hope there are plans to update this. Can anyone from NowTV confirm any future plans.

Also here's an idea, let the community build the app for you. Have a competition on either design or building an app for you.

Let's hope for some good news soon.

---

It will never be updated. Sky haven't released a single update for it in over 2 years. It's abandonware.  Just use the app built into your TV.

[Anonymous User]

“I have no idea why Now TV have closen not to update the app”

Control and competition, presumably. NOW TV wants you using its box, not Apple TV.

“Now Tv is mentioned on the new Apple TV 4K box”

I imagine that’s not really through choice. Apple TV has a big problem in the UK, in terms of support. If Apple took the NOW TV logo off of its marketing, what else is there beyond YouTube and Netflix? A half-hearted version if iPlayer? Some news apps? A few niche concerns like Hopster?

“Can anyone from NowTV confirm any future plans.”

Short of an official press release, I wouldn’t trust anything NOW TV says more than you can throw their entire HQ. They’ve been offering ‘possibly’ and ‘hope to’ since the fourth-gen Apple TV arrived. They’ve been stringing along customers, either knowingly or unknowingly (depending on how much access the support teams have to future plans); this has also been peppered with – at best – misdirection as to the reasoning behind the poor app (blaming Apple regarding updates, when NOW TV could if it wanted submit a native, new app, mostly porting across its iOS one and adjusting the UI to suit).

“Also here's an idea, let the community build the app for you. Have a competition on either design or building an app for you.”

Just no. NOW TV isn’t a charity. It makes a ton of profit, and should sort its own app. It shouldn’t rely on people’s goodwill to have one made.

[moroboshi]

There's an update to the app available now, but don't get excited, it changes nothing. It's some sort of certificate update. 

Sky it seems will do the bare minimum to keep the app from completly breaking, but nothing more. Just enough to people paying. Truly disgusting. 

The difference between Netflix and Now TV couldn't be more stark. No wonder Netflix absolutely dominate the market. 

[Anonymous User]

Ive been holding out for a while. I keep it as we watch Sky 1 & Atlantic, and put movies on for Xmas.

I think if they are trying to annoy us so we will buy SKYQ , nice as it is, its 5 years too late. Now TV is adequate and people are tyring to have one box solution. 

On another note to get to a one box solution, I'm also waiting for apple to launch TV app like USA , then Amazon Prime soon I hope.

It all seems disjointed, if they all worked together it would be a nice experience, but its been years waiting for them all to get together but they are all worried about their branding but by doing so it's giving a worse experience for the consumer.

Shame on Sky.