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.

[Wentey]

I wonder what this means for the BT sport ESPN partnership would love to see a full fat ESPN app in the uk, ESPN player is ok but no TVOS app only AirPlay

[Popeye13]

The partnership as you know it is ending in June, with BT Sport ESPN becoming BT Sport 4, and the supply of ESPN programming ends as an exclusive agreement, but will continue under a new deal that is non-exclusuve for shows such as Baseball Tonight, and the (sort-of) clean ESPN feed of Wednesday Night Baseball and the UFC LIVE show ect.

Not sure about Around the Horn and ESPN FC, but I also know Disney+ has had the capability to live-stream successfully tested in the European app (allbeit hidden)

[redchiz1]

This is the Apple TV app topic?  🤔

[Enapace]

@Popeye13 

First off it's a bit off topic for this thread but where are you hearing the deal expires next Month? I know it's meant end sometime this year but not heard any date.

[Popeye13]

Quite right, yes, so I'll keep this brief.

To answer your question, Industry colleagues. BT rarely announce deals, apart from the UCL, PL and alike, sadly this was one that wasn't announced. 

[CraigMcC11]

Still showing as BT/ESPN

[CraigMcC11]

Is this thread quiet as we have no news or is it the shambles of the new forum layout?

[Popeye13]

Indeed. Was delayed to August, where the BT Sport Extra 1-6 channels will now become BT Sport 5 - 10 alongside BT Sport 4 roll-out.

[dr_necessitor]

@Anonymous User  Hopefully but I’ve been on the beta more than 2 years now and, if it happens, it won’t be the first time the beta expires and fails to launch (it would be at least the 2nd, possibly the 3rd - it’s been going on so long now that memory fails me!)

[Anonymous User]

I think I’m slowly giving up hope.

[dr_necessitor]

@nst I see it as the countdown to beta expiry and yet (possibly) another failure to launch 😞

[Anonymous User]

Does the new version (the beta) work with apple top shelf as everything else does, that would be so cool for shows in motion.

(sorry if this has been answered before)

[MrZippy]

No.

[Anonymous User]

Well that’s not entirely true is it. They’ve previously said it was feature that would be included on release of the app. It’s just not available to test in the beta.

[MrZippy]

They’ve said lots of things, and currently it doesn’t support it.

I got an autumn 2020 release date when I queried the other day, but my question as to why released in Ireland was ignored again.

[nst]

@Anonymous User 

Depends what you mean by top shelf.

Im assuming you are referring to an app that is installed in the top line... or 'dock' on TVOS..

Apps in the dock can show more content above the dock when selected - Netflix shoes up next etc.

In the case of the new NowTV app... I have this in my dock, and its something I fed back to the development team very early on... asking whether it could show the watch next or watchlist details when selected.

However, as has been the case with the beta trial, I have not had an acknowledgement of that request nor has it appeared to be changed in the 2 subsequent beta builds.

As it stands, there is no point having the NowTV app in the dock as it doesnt show additional information.

This functionality is not TV integration nor is it Boost of course - and those are the only 2 things that I understand we should expect that are not visible in the betas.

The app is imperfect.. and should receive further updates over time once released... and not left to fester like the last version was.  That being said... hopefully they just get on and actually release it at some point warts and all.... and then we can go from there.

[moroboshi]

HLG is used on BBC iPlayer. 

[Duncaw67]

Hi@mallet94

Thanks for that advice,but could take up the sky sports offer as I have 7 sport week gift cards to use before the end of the year  and could not afford to lose them, will see if offered a new deal when I have used them!!!!

[SweetBlitz]

I suspect Now have stopped all upgrades for good.  Just bug fixes.

[nst]

A little over-stated but I do feel that the AppleTV has never been anything near a priority for NowTV... and with the long drawn out beta for a desperately needed update... followed by the release of a totally hamstrung lacklustre effort of an app... there might be some truth in that.

I have said in the past.. if they dont want to, or can't fully support a platform with ALL the NowTV features then they perhaps should just withdraw from it completely.

Im aware that people's wants and needs are different, and the current NowTV app on the AppleTV is more than adequate for some and a welcome step up from what we had for many years before.. 

But, its not hard to take a step back and see all of NowTV's strategic platforms.  The Amazon Firestick certainly seems to have appeared from nowhere and leapfrogged all the competition to be the best supported platform (as NowTV's own Roku based devices were)... and equally you can see the platforms that NowTV are at best paying lip service to and the experience on them is underwhelming - enough to make you choose a different platform should that be available.

Personally, I can use NowTV on my AppleTV (my preferred platform), my LG Smart TV, my Playstation, and my Firestick.  Im sad to say that the AppleTV version is by far the worst of all 4 options and therefore as much as I want to use it I cannot.

[Enapace]

@nst 

In fairness imagine the Amazon Fire App is very similar to the Sony App so didn't quite appear from no-where but I totally get what you are saying. NowTV have for certain always prioritised some platforms over others. I'm still surprised that PC/Mac don't support NowTV Boost it is 2021 now surely that should of happened by now.