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.

[Breaking_Bad]

Also had my email on email day 🙂 

Looking forward to progress ...

[moroboshi]

There are some pretty huge things missing in beta 2, but I dare say Sky know about them as they're things which are in every Apple TV app except the new Now TV one. 

Whether they fix them or not.. we shall see. 

[Anonymous User]

Apart from boost what would be your one thing you would like added. Mine would be live pause.

[nst]

@Anonymous User 

May I ask.. what’s the point of live pause in context of NowTV?

I think my opinion comes from the fact that mostly I forget that there is a live TV watch option - I really do....

The reason being that all the content is available straight after broadcast (and sometimes during!) and of course its AD free!..... I’d rather watch something after the event.... as I say sometimes things are available 5 minutes into live and then you get to watch it through without ads... and actually ‘beat’ live transmission towards the end.

so why would you watch something live... ads and all.. when the content is available without ads and of course you can pause it.

... just interested.  As I say I never use live watching.

[Anonymous User]

The simple answer is I have kids and when I watch the football for instance, it’s handy if I want to pause and run upstairs if one of them stir during the game, rather than miss it or have to re watch it. Completely get what your saying but this one thing really would help me.

[nst]

@Anonymous User 

Ah ok!

I'm not a sports fan and never watch it...

but yes I can see how watching sports live is important and therefore the ability to pause!

I was being a bit narrow minded in the context of broadcast TV shows riddled with ads as they are!

To answer your question...

Boost.. of course.  But the icing on the cake will be full AppleTV TV app integration.  By all accounts we are getting the latter (and that was a pleasant surprise as I wasn't expecting it seeing as Neflix refuse to cooperate too).

Cant really think what more a streaming service needs.

To me, the integrated up-next functionality is essential when replacing a PVR service such as Sky to enable you to keep track of the latest episodes you are watching.  This is why the AppleTV box is unbeatable in my opinion - its just so handy to be presented with the next available show there.... and Netflix is a huge pain not playing ball.  Granted, Netflix dont often release shows weekly - though when they do its a pain to have to remember to keep going back into the Netflix app to check on availability.

[Anonymous User]

Yep I think that will be a major game changer for myself as well, I’ve also wondered about the red button option how could they incorporate that with the current Apple TV remote?

[Anonymous User]

For me it would be using Apples video player and search APIs so that the app is a lot more user friendly on the Apple TV.

Search would be greatly improved if you could use Siri to dictate. But the improvement to the video player would be so much better. The ability to move through a show with a swipe instead of the AWFUL fast forward functionality is my number one request at this point.

[Anonymous User]

@Anonymous User I completely agree. The new app is simply not designed for use with the Apple TV remote. It's very unfriendly, and unintuitive. It's also incompatible with the remote apps on iOS and Apple Watch for the same reason. Given that's apparently a universal app, it makes no sense to use a non-standard interface for playback.

[Duncaw67]

@Anonymous User 

Share your frustration re:apple remote, that's why I purchased an Universal remote for £20 and paired it with the apple remote and so much easier to use, no more swiping and well worth the additional outlay.

[MrZippy]

Does the iOS app use a non standard interface, I’ve never installed as don’t plan to use on phone. I like the video player pop up, it’s better looking than apples, as has useful info. But it would need to support swipe for fast forward / rewind to be fit for propose with the atv remote. Other issue with non standard controls is everyone sees your PIN as you can’t use the remote app to type.

Live pause is useful if watching a live channel and need to pop out of the room, most useful place for me would be on all 4 as they do restart on live TV, but you can’t pause it.

[Anonymous User]

But you can change the apple remote to click and not swipe or use your iphone.

[Duncaw67]

@Anonymous User 

Sorry don't have an IPhone, and still use the universal remote, as apple remote still not as good, even set for click rather than swipe, in my humble opinion,especially for the Now tv app, old or beta!!!

[Anonymous User]

@Duncaw67 We don't quite share the frustration then. I really like the Apple TV remote. My problem is simply that the NowTV beta works completely differently from everything else on the Apple TV, and in way that fails to take advantage of the swipe, which is a brilliant feature. That's a really bad design decision.

[Duncaw67]

@Anonymous User 

Could not agree with you more, but the apple remote is compatible with both Now tv apps on Aplle tv.

I use my remote like the old sky remote I had, and that was one of the best remotes Sky had developed for the HD box, which I replaced with Apple tv last year, and is one of the best streaming devices out in the market.

[Enapace]

@Anonymous User 

I imagine in exactly the same way that the other devices implement it. They aren't exactly set up as Red button they appear on the home screen as a separate stream you just click on to it's just like picking a channel to watch.

In regards to people's frustration with fast forward implementation I also agree and have said that in feedback to the Trials team as it does feel clunky having to pause and then move over to a button to fast forward through a show.

Voice for searching I believe is coming I remember them mentioning it wasn't available yet but would be coming in a future build.

[Anonymous User]

Didn’t think of that to be honest, hopefully with build 3 we get some other options added

[Enapace]

@Anonymous User 

No problem if it was a red button type system I agree wouldn't work to well with the AppleTV system but with how it has been implemented at least from what I have seen on images it should work fine. 

[Anonymous User]

Well hopefully we won’t have to wait to much longer for the next build or full release, mind you we have all been very patient so far.

[Duncaw67]

@Anonymous User 

Not had any email re:build 3, did you get a date when it is starting,ie when this beta ends?

[Anonymous User]

I just had an email reply saying do t worry about the beta expiring they are working on a new build to be released, so I presume it’s in the next week or so.