Earlier this week Apple TV added CBS and the newly launched Starz app to its growing list of universal search channels, which lets you use Siri or the Search app to find movies and TV shows across multiple channels in a single search. Now Siri has learned another new skill called Live Tune-In, which lets you easily jump right into live programming with a single voice command using Siri Remote.
As MacRumors points out, the new Live Tune-In feature is presented and detailed on the recently added What’s New splash page. Apple TV doesn’t present release notes for tvOS software updates; instead, tvOS 9.2 added the What’s New section to the Settings channel under the System section.
Notably, the new feature was not included on the original tvOS 9.2 update splash page. Testing both tvOS 9.2 and the recently released beta version of tvOS 9.2.1, the new feature appears on both software versions.
Apple describes how to use the new Live Tune-In feature:
Ask Siri to start watching a live channel in one of the supported apps, such as CBS, Disney XD, and ESPN. Try saying “Watch CBS” or “Watch ESPN live.”
In testing, Siri prompts you to install the specified app you request to launch if the channel isn’t already installed. Live content generally requires a paid subscription or active cable credentials, but Siri correctly jumps directly to the live log in channel for the ESPN app when following Apple’s suggestion.
Live programming is nothing new to Apple TV as even older generation boxes supported the feature, but Siri is only available on the fourth generation Apple TV with tvOS and Live Tune-In shows that Apple is further leveraging the capabilities of the functionality to make watching TV more modern.
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Hopefully the language is set up to support “Turn on CBS” or “Go to CBS” as that is how you would talk to your friend/family on the couch with the remote to change the channel. People will feel lame saying “watch CBS” as that is unnatural
My one has been collecting dust pretty much since I got it – I know fanboys love it bit I can’t find the new apple TV does anything much better than apps on my tivo or Roku plus it has no Amazon video. Both my Tivo and Roku have chunky remotes which don’t get easily lost between couch cushions, and I find the touch interface on the remote frustrating to use – but then again this is Apple and the remote was probably an exercise in cost cutting.
Showtime or Shoanytime should support Live Tune-in since they are one of the few pay channels that have live streaming.
Will Siri open any ESPN channel or does one have to still go back and scroll and select which ESPN channel manually?
just tried “watch espn2 live”, and “watch espnnews live” and both worked! 👍
Content discovery (rather than “search”) is the big weakness in tvOS (and iOS). Apple has an opportunity to disintermediate YouTube by creating a universal taxonomy and a nice user interface (or API) for apps/channels to expose their content’s metadata. Think of it as a universal guide for all content across all media types.
I always envisioned this when the new Apple TV with Siri remote was announced but of course the biggest issue is getting all these desperate apps to jibe with Siri and I’m sure that’s easier said than done.
Here’s hoping Apple hasn’t given up on trying to create a competitive streaming TV service to PS Vue, Sling TV and cable/satellite companies.
I was really close to going all-in with PS Vue until I discovered (and saw with my own eyes) that it’s max resolution is 720p. That’s unacceptable in 2016.
How about they add Siri support for your Home Library? It’s ridiculous that I have my own content but can’t use Siri to surface it.
Wait Siri is on the new Apple TV?
Onder een steen gelegen of zo ?