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.

[Hooba]

@nst Yes, not great that there's no 2.0 for on demand. 

Still - there's more to come, e.g. the recent announcement on all of this said something about all the Now passes being available to buy through the app (mind you, didn't that used to be the case years ago?). So maybe we'll see a full 5.1 launch at that point?

[nst]

@Hooba 

But there isn't really anything that warrants a 'launch'

Boost is boost, and it is supported on a number of devices, the AppleTV supposedly one of them.  AppleTV is simply missing a tentpole feature that we've all been paying for for the last year and hasn't actually been working.

They shouldnt keep this any longer.

The app is capable of 5.1.  we know this NOW.... we aren't stupid.

[Hooba]

@nst Well they can't launch it in its current state as its hideously broken for live 5.1. NOW can't expect some people to have to keep buggering around every time the audio switches from 5.1 to 2.0 or vice versa. It's a problem not restricted to HomePods either. I now have an App which offers 5.1, but for all intents and purposes is utterly broken and unusable.

[nst]

@Hooba 

That’s the point. We don’t have an app that supports 5.1. Not officially. 

[Hermes]

Am I alone in not being able to use Now on my Apple TV (4th Gen) since version 6.5.8 was released on 16th Dec?

I've got a support ticket open, but don't seem to be getting anywhere. When I open the Now app, it just gives me a loading spinning circle. I've deleted and reinstalled the app, factory reset the Apple TV, even tried connecting via 4G, but everything is the same. 

If it's just me, it would suggest my account has got corrupted somehow.

[nst]

Sorry to say, but yes it looks that way.

No such problems here and nobody else seems to be responding the same as you.

Just the usual crappy app with no 5.1 

[MrZippy]

I’ve just seen an on screen ad in the tvOS app, it’s for the £5 boost to get surround sound. Odd as the Apple TV isn’t supported. 

See screenshot, text below. 

“Watch in HD with surround sound and on 3 devices at the same time for £5 a month. Terms apply.”

[RoyB]

@MrZippy 

You think the ads care (or even know) which OS is displaying them?

[MrZippy]

If they don’t they should as they don’t offer the same service on all devices. This would be misleading advertising surely as if you pay for this service you’d reasonably expect the device it was advertised on supported it as you are logged in and the app was supplied by the advertiser.  

Maybe they just want to add insult to injury with this awful app. Looking at the recent list of supported devices for 5.1, it’s long. Is Apple TV the only mainstream device that can go up to Atmos as long as it’s not NowTV, which can only manage to code for stereo.

[nst]

@MrZippy 

Ive been making this point myself for a while.

It is not reasonable, in my opinion, to provide a "boost" service... charge a set fee for that, and yet depending on what hardware platform you choose to use... only get a subset of those features.

ALL devices that support boost should fully support it.  Seems a perfectly reasonable expectation for me. Yes I know not everyone has 5.1 equipment and are happy to pay for boost for the other things it offers... but to me 5.1 sound and 1080p picture surely in 2022 are archaic already and long superseded by ATMOS and 4K....

But.  The appleTV is technically more than capable of 1080 and 5.1 and has been for 10 years.  Why NOW are unable to support it in their app should be an embarrassment frankly.

[redchiz1]

I kind of sympathise with the ongoing angst expressed on this long-running topic. But I have to say that personally I have 3 alternative devices on which the full feature set of NOW Boost is available, with another one partially limited which is the 50fps functionality for Sky Sports on my LG TV. And I long ago gave up in pursuit of the "one device that does it all" Nirvana. Do all you Apple TV users have no other device which you can turn to?

[Enapace]

@redchiz1 

Yes I do have a PS5 and could use that but there is no reason I should have to my Apple TV box can do 4K 60 HDR BT Sports with Atmos easily. To compare to TVs is wrong in my opinion It's different with LG TVs i would never use apps on a TV as they always stop updating them you buy a box like a Apple TV or Firestick because it offers more choice and will be supported and given updates. LG never even update one year old TVs to the new OS lol.

But i think the really bad thing about NowTV is they still in 2022 haven't enabled boost for iPads or Android Tablets a lot of people watch stuff on Tablets and you would notice 1080p on one and 50FPS for sure.

[redchiz1]

@Enapace Fair enough. Other devices can match the Apple TV for specs, but that does depend on the content provider. 4K etc, are somewhat moot for NOW at the moment! Personally, I have no issues with iPad resolution, the small screen makes overkill otiose imo, but I don't benefit from the visual acuity that others have. 

I understand the lifespan on TV upgrades, although my two year old LG has been regularly updated thus far and is still my "go to" device in the first instance for sheer convenience, it can handle most things I need. I go to Roku for 50fps Sky Sports and 4K HDR BT Sport. 

Still no sign of Nirvana though. 😉

[nst]

@redchiz1 

With the greatest of respect... why on earth should we have to operate multiple set top boxes and streaming devices??

AppleTV is the best I have every used.  Thats my subjective opinion sure but im right 🙂 

The integration of the TV app puts the AppleTV head and shoulders over all others - AppleTV with the TV app is in many ways identical to SkyGlass.

Sure, I have a fire stick... but why should I have to switch to that to get the 5.1 im paying for when i want to stay on my AppleTV?  If they support a service and provide an app, then do it properly or not at all!

[Popeye13]

Have to agree. While ive never been a fan of Apple products, once my Good Lady showed me the Apple TV, it was mindblowing how good it is, how functional it is and that you can do so much with it, to such amazing levels in quality experience.

So imagine my surprise that still, into Jan 2022 and Sky are saying that officially, one of the most powerful, able and revered devices, that's capable of alot, doesn't support 6ch audio in DD through their app for NowTV. It stinks and we know its factually nonsense.

They can do way better and choose not to.

Just even get DD5.1 on LIVE this morning was a pain, so its still being messed with and yet last night, i enjoyed watching Wrath of Man on Prime, in 4K-HDR with 5.1 audio, on my Apple TV 4K, a device that Sky would have you believe is duff!!

[redchiz1]

---

@nst wrote:

@redchiz1 

With the greatest of respect... why on earth should we have to operate multiple set top boxes and streaming devices??

AppleTV is the best I have every used.  Thats my subjective opinion sure but im right 🙂 

---

Because everybody is competing and not everything plays nice with everything else?

Apple TV is clearly not the best device for NOW TV.  🙂

[nst]

@redchiz1 

Actually I believe it is.... as most in this particular thread would probably agree as we all have one 🙂 

That said, it ISNT until they fix this annoying 5.1 issue....

Right now the 'best' one is the Firestick app - that has all the bells and whistles and Firestick seems to be NOW's platform of choice as they no longer sell their own branded hardware.

Back to why AppleTV is the best... its all down to the AppleTV TV app, and its integration with streaming services (apart from Netflix) - NOW's integration with the TV app makes the Apple ecosystem hands down the best platform for NOW - especially when you use NOW in conjunction with others like iPlayer, Disney+, Prime Video, All4 etc.....

[RoyB]

@MrZippy 

I know it’s frustrating to be offered promos for features you can’t use on the device showing the promo, but put yourself on Now’s position in trying to prevent this.

Technically, what difficulties might they encounter, and how would you propose overcoming them?

[MrZippy]

1. Lack of coding ability to implement 5.1

2. Not caring about providing a competitive and quality service. 
3. Lack of licences for the specific platform

4. Agreement with other parties to ensure the Apple TV doesn’t offer the full service. 
5. Just don’t want my money. 

[RoyB]

@MrZippy 

Any evidence for (iv)?

That’s quite a serious accusation, and Apple would be down on it like a ton of bricks.

[MrZippy]

@RoyB 

Unfortunately not

I remember back when Now TV was on the Apple TV 3 (non tvOS), the apps came through Apple and their criteria must have been high to be included as it was, at the time, the only device that supported 720p for NowTV. 

With the advent of tvOS pretty much anything seems to go, Apple should have enforced some sort of UI requirement as the NowTV app is truly horrendous, plus core functionality like continue watching is unreliable.

It’s like they intentionally don’t want NowTV to be too good, otherwise it would cannibalise their lucrative Sky TV service.