Update Now TV app for apple TV

[SeeMoreDigital]

Have you seen the NOW TV UI that runs on a NOW TV box @stoli412?

In my opinion it looks much better than the one created by the Apple 'third-party' company. And it actually works 😉

[SamKirk]

It does look better @SeeMoreDigital, but so does Netflix which is a properly developed native app for tvOS/Apple TV 4.  The reason people are referring to the iOS app is because porting that to tvOS would be the quickest way of replacing the current awful Apple TV 2/3 port. Alternatively if NowTV are adamant on doing as little as possible for the platform then they should at least consider integrating with Apple's official TV app which I believe is launching in the U.K. later this year.

[IndigoPrime]

Exactly. As noted, I’m not sure what SeeMoreDigital is getting at in this thread. Apple acts as a gatekeeper to the App Store, but that's all. It doesn’t develop apps other than its own – Apple TV 3 being an anomaly. And as you say, Sam, there are load of different UIs on the system – you don’t have to do anything Apple’s way.

SeeMoreDigital said:

“Perhaps you'd all be better off lodging your UI complaints to directly to Apple...”

Why? In this case, the block is NOW TV, who – presumably for commercial reasons – have chosen to not fully support Apple TV (perhaps to ‘encourage’ people to buy their branded hardware). Amazon did much the same, but at least had the decently to enable its iOS app to work via AirPlay. NOW TV won’t even do that. (And, yes, I know: contracts blah blah blah. But it’s 2017. It’s not a surprise people will want to ‘cast’ stuff to a box.)

Again, the only conclusion it’s possible to come to is that NOW TV doesn’t care about Apple TV at all. Which is fair enough; but the fact its support people keep stringing everyone along (“hopefully, there will be more news soon!”) is getting old.

[stoli412]

I get the feeling @SeeMoreDigital doesn't get the difference between Apple TV 2/3 apps and Apple TV 4 (tvOS) apps. Apple TV 2/3 apps did indeed need to follow Apple's UI guidelines, and they all looked the same more or less. tvOS apps for the Apple TV 4 are much more similar to iOS apps, in that they are created directly by the developer (not Apple or a 3rd party) and they can have nearly any UI they want.

There's NO reason Now TV can't develop a tvOS app (or port their very good, existing iOS app) and use their own UI. AND they could choose to have their 3rd party separately continue to maintain the current Now TV app for use on the Apple 2/3 only, or they could choose to end support since it's "legacy".

[Mediaboy]

Stoli412 is spot on - devs create the app they want and submit to Apple. This is new on ATV4.

You could always get a new NowTV box for free at the moment. Yes, I know it's and extra box and remote. It's the quickest fix you're likely to get!

[Scottie79]

Yep the UI isn't pretty to look at on Apple, but I generally just watch live tv, a very cheap way for me to watch sky.

Would like it to look more like the roku ui.

Let's compare Netflix, several categories are missing compared to Apple tv3. Doesn't show the whole library as pushes programmes it wants you to watch in random categories. ATV3 allows a full library listing, and I actually prefer the old interface as I hate the same regurgitated rubbish being recommended to me, more like some providers paid more to push their programming first and sons of those unique little shows/movies in the library get missed. ATV4 is missing GLBT, Foreign films/French/German/Spanish/Italian/Scandinavian/Eastern European/World Categories. The independent films is missing about 60 films as you scroll through. Frankly it's useless!!

[Scottie79]

So yep Netflix looks pretty, but in reality it isn't that good unless you know what you want to watch, the atv3 version allowed you to browse more movies than the atv4.

Nowtv is the same between atv3 and atv4, except the colour of the app is orange on atv3 and still the old green on atv4. ATV3 tends to be more stable, but think that's more due to there not really being any Apple software updates on ATV3 whereas there are always updates on atv4, especially the with apps interface.

Overall I find the now to picture quality far superior compared to roku, both live and on demand, especially with live sports and fast moving picture frames, and compared to the satellite broadcast I find there to be little difference, not enough for me to justify the additional expense.

[Tw34ker]

Eddie-M or Someone at NOW TV,

Could someone please address these people's issues?

I'm getting so frustrated with NOW TV's slow uptake to be able to employ a team of decent app writers that can actually roll out updates that keep NOW TV at least on par with reasonable expectations and capabilities of other similar apps. Not even being able to search by actor or director is appalling to say the least. There's virtually no support of Smart TV app, there's a crazy 4-device limit when there is already a 2-stream cap to protect against misuse.

There's more I could bring up, but I'm not going to open those cans of worms here. I guess what I'm trying to say is that NOW TV, as a company, have some great content but they do not demonstrate a level of commitment towards their customers to match.

I have written feedback email, mentioned issues on support calls/chats, and recall posting on here a few times before, but I feel like a voice on deaf ears.

Please realize the people with problems and needs on here are indicative of people showing NOW TV a map to levels of success that advertising, marketing, and promotional literature could never touch. This is one of the significant reasons that kept Netflix at the top of their game.

[SamKirk]

IF it IS the case that 'everything is controlled by Apple' and NowTV are just providing the content, then surely the solution would be to integrate directly with Apple's forthcoming TV app in the UK (like Amazon will be).  As far as I can see this is the only way AppleTV users may possibly get a half decent experience as it's pretty obvious a decent native app is not coming 😞  Last time I give my money to a Murdoch company.

[Breaking_Bad]

I can't believe they are about to increase the cost of viewing and still have not addressed this. I am very close to cancelling my subscription now