Today, Apple has issued an over-the-air update to the Apple TV that brings several new content apps. Notably, in line with expectations, an app for the Vevo Music Video service has arrived. Also new are Disney Channel and Disney XD apps.
With Apple’s deep partnership with Disney, it is about time that Disney has been fully integrated into the Apple TV. Apple TV users will now also be able to access Weather information via a new app from The Weather Channel. An app for the Smithsonian is also now present.
The Disney apps require cable provider authentication, while The Weather Channel, Smithsonian, and Vevo are available immediately for all users.
Earlier this year, the Apple TV was updated with ESPN, HBO Go, and SkyNews. Time Warner Cable integration is reportedly in the works for later this year.
Images of the new content offerings below:
Also interesting: Weather Channel app is on demand, but will break into live programming during big storms. http://t.co/9IqlBrb12m
— Peter Kafka (@pkafka) August 27, 2013
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CMon’ no VUDU or Amazon???? If you had them I’d hook my Macbook Pro up to a new Apple TV in a heartbeat!!!! But will never get one until you do!!!
That doesn’t even make sense dude. If you are pairing it up or whatever with a MBP, AirPlay what ever BS you wanna play from Safari. If you want the aTV to have Amazon, etc that’s fine and well but it has nothing to do with your MBP that we’re all impressed with.
Unfortunately, you are wrong as well. Yes, the Apple TV will allow you use airplay, but that’s only if apple has made an agreement with that particular company. Amazon; speaking from experience, is not available through airplay on apple TV, using safari, firefox or whatever. In addition, after my attempt to download the Amazon app on my phone the airplay button will show, but it will only play the audio. So, that being said, I did the research on amazon and apple, and they do not yet have an agreement for apple to play Amazon Prime.
Not trying to be argumentative, assumed I was wrong after I read your response, but I did just use my MBP to AirPlay mirror Amazon Prime content in Safari, to my aTV. I’m pretty sure the Mac has no restrictions, in that regard, as to what it can AirPlay to the Apple TV. The iPad cannot play Prime content, but a Mac can. I’m not saying your experience is wrong, but it doesn’t match mine. Not sure if I can post pictures, but if I can I will.
Photo of watching Prime via AirPlay on MBP, and it does full screen just fine too.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33571582/PrimeAirPlayMBP.jpg
Do the Weather Channel and Disney apps require cable provider authentication?
The Disney apps do require cable provider authentication
are live tv or you need a subscription with those channels?
Is this another one of those articles that should be appended by “… in America”? Or are you actually suggesting this is world-wide?
No one cares about your whining that you aren’t from the US. Thats their primary market to launch thing in, get over it. It’s a lot easier to set up these content deals with people in their own backyard. Plain and simple. Woe is you.
Actually those of us who *don’t* live in Amuricah actually *do* care about this sort of information. It’s not whining it’s a simple question of “does this apply to me”.
There’s no need to be a dick about it.
@rahhbriley uncool, dude. Grow up, please. You give all of us “from the US” a bad image…we don’t need any more help in that department.
My comment was more firey than I meant it, apologies to @mister_grey, wasn’t my intention. Wasn’t trying to be all “Amuricah” on you (besides, I’m from the United States, America is ALL of North and South America, as many of my South American friends like to remind me).
I should have asked you to reframe your question to a “does this apply to me?” type question, as @ehmjay points out you are really asking. I took your question not as “does this apply to me,” but a statement of “All the other articles forget about places that aren’t in the US, I’m guessing this article did the same…” tone. Sorry to be so jerky about that, wasn’t trying to be….guess we both can attest to tone not conveying correctly. See you around in the comments.
And once you attempt to access either of the new Disney apps, it asks for your cable provider … without listing DirecTV. I’m sure this is all tangled up in negotiations between Disney and DirecTV, but I think that’s a big loss of potential viewership via these apps.
It’s nice that I can hide all the US-only and sports channels that I can’t or won’t use, but what I’d really like is an SDK that hopefully local networks might be able to use to create an app. That would be awesome.
Nice, its always good to see more apps on the Apple TV. Hopefully they eventually have some sort of app store where we can pick and choose which video apps (or games!) we want to install.
Who cares? Give me an Amazon app!
ATV Home Screen is getting crowded.
Anyone seen iOS7 for ATV, will it offer folders to help us organize our ATV content? I need a big one with a label ‘useless’ for most of these as Dish does not authorize use of anything.
What I would really like to see is DishAnywhere app native on ATV so I can use ATV as my sole TV interface…
Just use parental controls to hide them
As Rob Sammons mentions, you can hide the ones you don’t want via Parental Controls. However, I am still curious about your initial question, as hiding them isn’t a proper or longer term strategy. Especially as there are more and more app/channels that I do use piling up. Hiding is “fine” for things we don’t want to look at, but yes, we need something for the stacks of things piling up we do want to look at. Folders, multiple screen pages, etc. I think are a must soon.
Canadians hosed again. Only Vevo!
Anyone know what the software version will include these updates?
I’m on 5.3(6105) and don’t have them.
Thanks..
and with the update goes PlexConnect. Now not working :(
They’ve frozen the top row of icons as well? Awesome. It’s like using Excel on the TV. Useless.
Anybody getting the “error retrieving file…” message when connecting to Disney or DisneyXD?
and the Weather Channel is not yet ready for prime time on AppleTV. It’s impossible to watch more than several seconds with out stopping to buffer, if the show will even load…