“Back in October during Apple’s MacBook Pro unveiling, the company took some time away from its Mac lineup to unveil a new app called ‘TV,'” Zach Epstein reports for BGR. “Netflix had no interest in being involved with Apple’s new TV app at launch, and at the time it seemed unlikely that the company would ever be onboard with the TV app.”
“The good news for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV users is that Netflix has had a change of heart and has made its content accessible in the TV app,” Epstein reports. “The bad news is that the company hasn’t gone all-in with the TV app, and there are some huge limitations that fans won’t be happy with at all.”
“Beginning this week, a large portion of Netflix’s catalog has been made accessible in the TV app. Users can search for content and streaming it right from inside the app, just like they can with other popular services like HBO Go,” Epstein reports. “The caveat — and it’s a huge caveat — is that Netflix’s most desirable content cannot be found through Apple’s TV app: No original Netflix shows or movies are accessible in the TV app for the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: It’s all about the bass… Oh, wait, that’s Beats. It’s all about the data, the data, the data…
Tim Cook’s utterly tone-deaf and hubristic statement when unveiling the TV app this fall — “And now, with the TV app, there’s really no reason to watch TV anywhere else” — remains as laughable as ever.
SEE ALSO:
Apple’s new TV app shows just how painfully behind Apple is – December 14, 2016
Apple has no idea what they’re doing in the TV space, and it’s embarrassing – November 3, 2016
Apple’s new ‘TV’ app won’t include Netflix or Amazon Video – October 28, 2016
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Hulu inks deals with Fox and Disney, adding ESPN, Fox News and more to forthcoming live service – November 1, 2016
Google signs up CBS for planned web TV service to debut in early 2017; close to deal with 21st Century Fox – October 20, 2016
Apple’s Eddy Cue alienated cable providers and networks with an assertive negotiating style – report – July 28, 2016
nice work, Pipeline. You idiot.
meh. I have a few AppleTV. One 4th Gen. I like them. Apple will continue improving over time, 4K, more Apps… blah blah blah. There are thousands upon thousands of content available through AppleTV various Apps including Netflix, HBO, Showtime. It would be nice if Amazon prime showed up at some point, but if it doesn’t that’s ok. Really their loss from a very lucrative market of people actually willing to spend money on content. Whatever.
As long as Apple keep improving the AppleTV, I’ll continue buying and using them. The interface is the fantastic and easy despite the at times annoying remote.
I don’t want to live in the damn TV. Just easy access when I want it. And Apple provides that. I’m good.
Netflix is not stupid. Of course they’re going to want to be on the TVApp. Apple is kind of making that the default Apple TV App with round up of many great shows from several different channels. It’s really very clever. If and when Apple, through individual viewing over time of taste and preferences, start suggesting shows to each person, Netflix is going to want in on that. Amazon as ever remain clueless.
In Amazon Video’s case the most likely scenario is Apple users are accessing it via browser on any of their devices. Might be interesting to see how many Apple users actually do use Amazon Video via Browser over the Apple TV App.
If not original series or movies, what are they talking about? TV shows? That’s a fair amount of content and some of it is desirable. But if this can work, why not original series and movies? Do we think they are not collecting data on what is watched through the app? That seems doubful.
I’ll bet it’s technically possible and they will be collecting data through the app. If Netflix can get what they want and need, more content could come. I hope this is a test for them, to see how well the app works at accessing content.
After re-reading the article, it becomes more interesting. They suggest Netflix has become willing to let Apple have access to some of their data. I doubt if we will ever know what the agreement between Apple and Netflix is. I would like to think there is still hope for all their content eventually.
They’re probably looking at the Netflix original series as desirable in the sense that you can _only_ get it through Netflix. Other shows that are just as easily accessible through Hulu or Amazon Prime may be desirable, but not necessarily from a Netflix perspective simply because if you don’t get it through Netflix, you can just pick one of these other services to get it.
It’s a very good question: “Why not original series and movies?”.
When a service like Netflix offers their content through the “TV” app on ATV, they lose control of the UI. This isn’t a problem if Netflix is trying to drive revenue through subscriptions only.
I think their reluctance to go all-on on ATV tells me they are attempting to open up other revenue streams, such as ad placements in their UI, through hardware sales of their own (in development) set-top box, or both. If that’s the case, then they’ll want to keep their most desirable content to drive customers to those revenue streams.
Seriously considering cancelling netflix and just using hulu/hbo and the other stations
There just isn’t any good reason to use AppleTV. I’ve not used it into years as I’m not renting movies and don’t believe in renting TV programs. I access Netflix directly through the smart TV and get 4K content one available. You can see that Apple is going to have a very hard time breaking this one. The others are fighting back
Big deal since the Netflix app is on Apple TV with all its original programming while the TV app is still in beta with an unfinished user interface.
This really isn’t a big deal. Most current software development methodologies boil down to developing the software in cycles. The first release is barebones but usable. While that cycle is in. use, you determine what features or improvements you should add and include them in the next release. Then you go through another cycle. It’s “develop, release, and repeat” similar to shampoo, “wash, rinse, and repeat” except you never stop repeating.
More likely than not, the Netflix client software is going through this process and this is just the first cycle. This is their way of getting their toe in the water early, while they work out licensing agreements and software issues.
Incidentally, since software developers call methods “methodologies,” shouldn’t they go through processologies? Well, off I go to the Methodologicalist Church.
I am going to watch this story carefully because I love the idea of searching once and the TV app searching all the content providers for me so I don’t have to go through them one by one.
Hopefully this is a short term issue and Netflix will include original programming soon.