Anyone who has ever used an Apple TV will tell you that it’s the best streaming device you can buy. From the interface and speed to the ease of setup and overall quality, no other device comes close, and I honestly didn’t think there was much room for improvement. The new TV app proved me wrong.
The tvOS 17.2 TV app completely reinvents the Apple TV experience with a simple structure and more dynamic options. Instead of the top menu, there’s a new sidebar that gives you quick access to your movie library, Apple TV+, and other subscriptions, and lets you see all the channels and apps you have installed. There’s also a Home tab that takes you to the main screen with Up Next, channels and, of course, Apple TV+ content, as well as a full store that combines movies and TV shows in a one-stop shop.
You can also easily switch between users to view personalized recommendations and libraries without going through menus and login screens. Apple TV already allows multiple users for iTunes and the App Store, but this new TV app menu makes the change incredibly quick. And with the Movies and TV apps disappearing, users will now be able to switch between libraries directly within the app.
Nothing about the new interface is particularly new, but it’s a wonderful upgrade over the previous version, which used a standard tab bar. Even if the options are similar (TV+, Store, Sports, Library, Search), the presentation is much simpler and intuitive. And the new “Channels & Apps” option lets you browse content from these services without switching between apps.
Previous reports claimed that Apple was making changes to attract more people to the app, and it’s so good that Apple should just make it the main interface on the Apple TV. The current application grid could be integrated into an “All applications” tab (which would solve the problem for all the holdouts, notably Netflix), and the TV application could simply become TV+ for all content related to Apple TV+. The new interface would solve the Apple TV’s only two problems: a lack of discovery and a cluttered home screen.
Until then, I’ll be spending a lot of time on the new Apple TV app.
