If you've been putting off upgrading your Apple TV first-generation, it might finally be time to relinquish the aging set-top box. Apple has warned owners holding out with the original media streamer that, as of May 25, security changes will cut the gadget off from the iTunes Store. That means no more new shows, and no ability to download shows you've already purchased.
DirecTV has quietly launched another of its must-see Apple TV deals, with new sign-ups to the DirecTV NOW on-demand service getting Apple's set-top box free. While it's not the first time we've seen the company run a promotion of this sort, this time around it's not forcing would-be shoppers to go in-store to take advantage of it. Instead, you can sign up online.
Back in September, Apple promised that it would add a News section to its TV app. In the months since, we've seen the company introduce a Sports section, but now News is finally getting its turn. The TV app has been updated with this News section, and in it users on both iOS and tvOS can easily browse and launch live news streams from many different providers.
Late last year, Google revealed that it was working on Roku and Apple TV apps for YouTube TV, and that we'd have them sometime in spring 2018. This was a long-awaited move for YouTube TV, as it meant that many people would be able to stream their service to their TV using hardware many of us already own. It seems that Google had both of these apps ready to go far earlier than anticipated, as yesterday it at last launched the Roku app many YouTube TV users have been waiting for.
If you haven’t yet had your fill of news about the first iOS 11.3 developer beta, don’t worry because there will be more to come as developers and users take it apart to discover unannounced features. Take, for example, these two new ones. It seems that Apple has finally gotten the ball rolling on pushing out AirPlay 2 after months of silence, though the question remains whether this multi-room feature will actually be included in the soon to launch HomePod.
Amazon has begun selling the Apple TV again, ending a two year standoff between the retailer and Apple, though supplies of the set-top box are already constrained. The two companies found themselves at loggerheads in late 2015, when Amazon announced it would be pulling the Apple TV from its virtual shelves. Ironically, the reason it gave to justify the decision was quickly thrown into disarray.
Amazon is now listing both Google's Chromecast and the Apple TV on its website, marking their first (official) return to the online store since being removed in late 2015. We saw signs of the Apple TV's return to Amazon earlier this year when the device briefly appeared on the company's website before disappearing. Sales of both devices will start soon, Amazon has confirmed, but it doesn't look like its squabble with Google is over yet.
The satellite audio service SiriusXM Radio is now available on the 4th-generation Apple TV and Apple TV 4K. Access is facilitated through the SiriusXM app, though you need to have a Sirius subscription, of course. The service offers more than 200 hours of audio channels, including news, talk, comedy, music, sports, and more. The service, as with other for-pay audio subscriptions, is commercial-free.
After hearing promises of an Amazon Prime Video app for Apple TV at WWDC 2017, the day has finally come. Amazon Prime Video has gone live for Apple TV, with just a few weeks to spare in Apple's promise that it would be here before the end of 2017. Just as well, it appears that the iOS Prime Video App has been updated to play nice with the iPhone X.
The latest Apple TV's universal search has added support for more apps in the US and Canada. With this expansion, users are now able to view results from BBC America, Oxygen, and Classix in the United States. Canadian users also get expanded universal search results that now include a kid's channel, news, and more.
Amazon stopped offering the Apple TV back in 2015, but things briefly changed recently when a listing for the Apple TV 4K appeared on the online retailer's site. That was a surprise, but one short-lived: Amazon pulled the listings soon after, leaving people to wonder whether the device will once again be available from Amazon or what else may be going on.
You might not be impressed with the Apple TV 4K, but a big change to how iTunes movie rental periods are handled is likely to be much more warmly received. Apple has quietly switched up its policy on how long rented content can be watched after you've started playback, much to the benefit of iTunes users. Now, you'll have 48 hours to finish watching your rental.