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Anonymous User
Not applicable

Update Now TV app for apple TV

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.

2,755 REPLIES 2,755
Anonymous User
Not applicable

I think there is definitely some truth in this. I don’t think Sky or NowTV have any interest in investing in the NowTV infrastructure. 

Scrolling through Twitter the other day, I saw they were promoting Boost and in the comments underneath they were being absolutely slated to have the nerve to ask people to upgrade to 1080p when companies like Netflix and Amazon are offering 4K as standard. A very fair criticism if you ask me.

The other common complaint is that they have a lot of unsupported devices, such as recently no longer supporting the white boxes, without even notifying some of the customers. This doesn’t affect me directly, but it goes hand in hand with my initial comment about not wanting to invest in the infrastructure.

I’ve been with NowTV for just over a year after cancelling my Sky Q subscription due to poor coverage and persistent inference, and I can hand on heart say, I’ve had enough and will be cancelling my subscription with NowTV after Christmas. 

The feeling I am getting from them, is offering customers a similar catalogue of content but on a much much worse and unreliable platform to coerce customers to switch over to Sky Q.

 

Personally, there is only two things that they could do to retain me as a customer. 1) implement the long overdue update to the Apple TV 4K

2) include the TV app support for the top row to make accessing content easier. 

 

 

 

AlexB83
Scholar 2

I think that full sky should have a few benefits over now tv, I look at now tv as a lite version of now but with added flexibility and they do put now tv on a variety of platforms. Also they know not everybody can afford a full sky subscription but it allows people to dip in and out and some aren't able of have a satellite dish. Also Netflix does not offer 4k as standard it's only on their premium Tier

Anonymous User
Not applicable
I’m being lazy as online but I believe the cheapest Netflix tier is SD too. But certainly 4K is premium. It is standard on Amazon Prime though.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

But it is quite clear that there has been investment made into the NowTV platform over the last year. Late last year Boost started rolling out. Then earlier this year more 50FPS channels were added and then red button was added and they launched Sports on Demand recently and added extra channels to the entertainment pass. They have since done a overhaul of the UI for there branded devices. Even Hayu has recently transitioned to being part of the Boost Pass so now all the passes are to one degree or another this is a lot of progress.

 

Yes I agree that it hasn't been the easiest and most best laid out process. While the decisions to cut support for the older LG TVs and White NowTV box is over i believe this is a good thing as it means they are not limiting themselves. The addition of Sony TV to supported devices is also a good sign of things to come. 

 

Like many here I can't wait to see the new AppleTV app out to all but it is coming yes longer then I hoped but it is on it's way our platform is not being abandoned. 

nst
Elite

I think its certainly fair to say.. at this point.. that the new App *will* be released and it is coming.  Theres no reason for it not to.

 

Why its taken so long is a mystery.  When it will finally get released is also a mystery... hopefully before the beta expires but thats looming very close now.  You'd hope that they would get this sorted in plenty of time for the Christmas push - but I seem to remember I was thinking that this time last year.  The current AppleTV app is beyond desperate to be replaced - its an embarrassment as is and not fit for purpose - moreover it will put off any existing or prospective new customers who only have the AppleTV as their sole set top box.  I guess that a new customer would work through the trial or initial month etc and given that old app would be forgiven for cancelling the service based on that experience.

 

However when it does get released.. the AppleTV should be bought in line with other platforms at the very least... and if it also supports the TV app integration then it will surpass the others.

 

Also, if this has now become a universal app, then going forward we should hopefully see it continuing to be updated rather than left to rot as it has been so far.

Anonymous User
Not applicable
Just playing devils advocate here but could it be delayed because they have more things to surprise us with as in new features etc?

I like you think it will be released this time and hopefully like you say all sorted for Christmas
nst
Elite

Sorry, @Anonymous User but I think the answer there is a definite no.

 

As beta testers.. we know that its stable enough for release as it has been for a while.  We also know that they are indeed going to be including functionality that wasnt present in the beta for us to test i.e. Boost (we live in hope) and TV app integration.

 

Just to be even more pessimistic on your theory... in my opinion theres no way really that they would introduce some other super new function and make it only available on the AppleTV... a device they have been happy up until now to completely abandon development-wise.  Im sure that new features or functions would appear on their own stick or hardware first.. and then make it to other platforms.

 

So.. lets just hope it makes it soon and intact!

Anonymous User
Not applicable
I wouldn’t say it was certain by any means it will be released, because if there was no reason not to release it, why hasn’t it been?

I’d actually say add a continue watching to the old app, and fix the long standing bugs such as finishing an episode on a blank screen, opposed to returning to the menu. This would actually be better than the new as it would be using native UI components and not have the awful NowTV interface.


Anonymous User
Not applicable
But those native UI components are from 5+ years ago, no Apple TV components really look like that anymore unless you have the old boxes which don’t have the latest OS on them. It absolutely needs updating to today’s standards. As for the Now TV interface, it is far from perfect but they certainly could tweak it to use native search and playback functionality, that would be a drastic improvement to the beta version.
Anonymous User
Not applicable
I agree the current app does use the atv3 UI but at least it uses native controls, albeit dated with regard to layout.

The worst thing about the new app is it doesn’t use a native picker, so icons aren’t faux 3D which sticks out like a sore thumb and you can’t scroll through them fluidly.