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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
nst
Elite

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.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

@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.

nst
Elite

True, and as much as it pains me to admit it... NowTV will be fully aware of the number of users per platform and therefore those platforms with less will of course get neglected in favour of the more heavily owned hardware.

 

As much as we all love our AppleTVs... and we all know why they are the best... you can't get away from the fact that its one of the most expensive boxes and therefore the potential audience is going to be significantly less than others.  You can see why NowTV left the old app in a state for so long.

 

The sad part is, that now they have gracefully decided to give AppleTV users an updated app.... they are probably not seeing as much use as they wanted... this will of course mean that it will be back to the bottom of the priority pile and maybe never to be updated again... however this is SO frustrating as I would guess that a large proportion of people who WOULD use the AppleTV app, are currently NOT doing so because of how they chose to deliver it.  Im certainly in that camp.  Not integrating with the AppleTV TV app is one thing... and I could live with that... but not supporting 5.1 on boost is a deal breaker for me.

 

Like it or not... Amazon's Fire Stick is now the best option when balancing cost and usability - and its head and shoulders above the NowTV branded Roku.  There is no way given that you can buy a FireStick for £30 including a decent remote and alexa built in etc etc etc... that this is not going to be the most popular and common way of watching NowTV.

 

 

Duncaw67
Scholar 3

 

Hi @nst 

 

Echo those sentiments exactly,I was part ot the bete trial as well,and was looking forward to a newly developed app appearing on Apple tv,what a disappointment when it finally arrived,no fully functioning boost pass,which is a disgrace in my opinion,and charging full price as well,I know you now use the firestick for accessing nowtv,but to me the apple tv has the best picture of all the streaming platforms IMHO,and I hope it will be rectified sometime in the future!!!!

nst
Elite

@Duncaw67 

 

I totally agree.

 

I want my AppleTV to be my only streaming box.  Im frustrated to have to go back and forth between it and the Firestick.

 

I did have some faith that it would be addressed and we would get the app that we (the beta testers at any rate) were promised... however... my optimism has all but vanished now.

 

If there was any truth in what we were told.. i.e. that they had to release the app without 5.1 and were soon going to be fixing it... then we should have had something by now.  It is after all 2 months since and no sign of any new iterations being released.

 

Therefore the idea of 'imminent' fixes are long gone and we settle back to have no choice but to shut up and put up with what we got as there is little prospect for it being sorted.

 

Its such a shame.  Imagine the app with 5.1, TV app integration (both things we were promised) and adherence to Apple remote scrubbing mechanics... then the app would be so much better.

Anonymous User
Not applicable
@nst

Has anyone contacted the MD on LinkedIn or anything like that, we shouldn’t be used and left to rot like this it isn’t on. If you google Nowtv Amazon partnership it states they have entered into a long term partnership which slaps us in the face for testing it out in the start and giving us broken promises
Anonymous User
Not applicable

Just my take on a few things and I echo all of what you say. Firstly anyone who has a LinkedIn account great idea to message the head of nowtv. I myself don’t have an account. Just google the head of nowtv easy enough.  Secondly we all took part in an eight month beta trial so at what point did the trials manager know about the partnership with Amazon. Our time has been wasted because all the feedback has not been used for what the purpose was meant for. As @nst has said it’s been 2 months since the new app was released and no sign of 5.1. A couple of updates with minor bug fixes.  

Anonymous User
Not applicable
@Anonymous User

I’ve just sent her a message on LinkedIn, we will see if I get a reply, I can only urge others to do the same.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

Thanks Dean let’s see if you get a reply. 

What’s actually behind Sky’s apparent “falling out of love” with Roku after so many years and “rushing into the arms of” Amazon? Presumably something to do with Sky being assimilated into Comcast?

 

Can we expect to see a cheaper NOW TV branded Firestick (a NOWStick?) running a cut-down version of the OS to ensure only vetted apps can be installed?

 

And what direction will they go in a few years time when they give Amazon the boot?