Apple TV update adds HBO Go, WatchESPN & more channels

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited June 2014
Apple on Wednesday issued an update for its Apple TV set-top box, adding HBO Go, WatchESPN, Sky News and other channels to the home screen for new, integrated streaming video options.

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The free Apple TV software version 5.3 update is now available for download for second- and third-generation Apple TV devices. Other content providers included in the update are Crunchyroll and Qello.

"HBO GO and WatchESPN are some of the most popular iOS apps and are sure to be huge hits on Apple TV," said Eddy Cue, Apple?s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "We continue to offer Apple TV users great new programming options, combined with access to all of the incredible content they can purchase from the iTunes Store."

The new options join established programming partners Hulu Plus, Netflix, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, Vimeo, YouTube, Flickr, and The Wall Street Journal.

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HGO Go requires a paid cable subscription to HBO. The streaming service offers users access to original HBO programming, movies, sports, documentaries, comedy specials and more.

WatchESPN includes live sports content from ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, and ESPN Buzzer Beater/Goal Line for those who already receive ESPN's networks as part of their subscription through affiliated providers. Also included with WatchESPN are original shows like E:60, Outside the Lines, SC Featured, Sports Science and others.

Sky News offers live news 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to users in the U.S., U.K. and Ireland. In addition to the live feed, users can catch up on specific stories via the network's on-demand news library.

Crunchyroll is a video service for Japanese anime and Asian media. With the new channel, users will be able to watch the latest high-definition shows one hour after they air in Japan.

Qello isn on-demand streaming service for high-definition concerts and music documentaries. Free and paid subscriptions are both available.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 148
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member
    "Apple on Wednesday issued an update for its Apple TV set-top box [B]IN THE USA[/B], adding HBO Go and WatchESPN channels to the home screen for new streaming video options [B]FOR THEIR AMERICAN CUSTOMERS[/B]."

    Fixed so it's less insulting.
  • Reply 2 of 148
    ny3rangerny3ranger Posts: 77member
    Been waiting for this.
  • Reply 3 of 148
    richlrichl Posts: 2,213member


    Still waiting for BBC iPlayer. image

  • Reply 4 of 148
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    gazoobee wrote: »
    "Apple on Wednesday issued an update for its Apple TV set-top box IN THE USA, adding HBO Go and WatchESPN channels to the home screen for new streaming video options FOR THEIR AMERICAN CUSTOMERS."

    Fixed so it's less insulting.
    Hmm....I didn't know sky news was American...
  • Reply 5 of 148
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member
    If only the HBO Go App didn't require a cable subscription...

    Why doesn't HBO set up their own paid subscription service, for those of us who would like to cut cable TV?
  • Reply 6 of 148
    herbapouherbapou Posts: 2,228member


    I dont own an Apple TV rigth now, so someone please tell me if the canadian version has TMNGO, which is the equivalent of HBOGO

  • Reply 7 of 148
    applezillaapplezilla Posts: 941member


    'HBO Go requires a paid cable subscription to HBO'


     


    Pathetic dinosaurs.


     


    http://theoatmeal.com/comics/game_of_thrones

  • Reply 8 of 148
    everett ruesseverett ruess Posts: 152member
    Slowly building out content & consolidating more overall TV control. Be nice if they added an iMac to the little black TV box.
  • Reply 9 of 148
    notownnotown Posts: 39member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by blackbook View Post



    If only the HBO Go App didn't require a cable subscription...



    Why doesn't HBO set up their own paid subscription service, for those of us who would like to cut cable TV?


    I agree. I've cut the cord and get the little bit of broadcast television I actually watch over a digital antenna. I would happily pay for HBO and Showtime if I didn't have to get the rest of the bloated package. Till then, I'll be illegally downloading Dexter, True Blood, etc., etc.

  • Reply 10 of 148
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    rogifan wrote: »
    Hmm....I didn't know sky news was American...

    He did edit that out, after all.

    And it wasn't insulting in the first place. That should just be assumed at this point. Obviously the world isn't going to get this stuff.
  • Reply 11 of 148
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    applezilla wrote: »
    <span style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;line-height:18px;">'HBO Go requires a paid cable subscription to HBO'</span>


    <span style="line-height:18px;">Pathetic dinosaurs.</span>


    http://theoatmeal.com/comics/game_of_thrones
    At least it works for people who have satellite TV, unlike WatchESPN. :rolleyes:
  • Reply 12 of 148
    aross99aross99 Posts: 95member
    This is a good addition for the Apple TV. All of the networks that have iPad apps should be pushing to get on the Apple TV. It is a much better experience than having to deal with Airplay, etc.

    As for the options to get Pay Channels on the Apple TV without a cable subscription. That's not going to happen until someone forces it. The Pay channels are too worried about upsetting the cable companies, which represent much more revenue than the potential from online only subscriptions. At least for today...
  • Reply 13 of 148
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,523member
    tallest skil wrote: »
    He did edit that out, after all.

    And it wasn't insulting in the first place. That should just be assumed at this point. Obviously the world isn't going to get this stuff.
    I don't know, we pay a LOT more for the Apple TV here in the UK (currently a 25% mark up!!!!!) so why would it be unreasonable to expect Apple to get off their butts & sign up other content deals worldwide for local Apple TV content?

    Of course they could just release the App Store for the Apple TV & all of these very valid complaints would disappear over night.
  • Reply 14 of 148
    trumptmantrumptman Posts: 16,464member


    I don't want them to just keep adding channels all over the place. I want a channel store and the ability to add or subtract channels as I desire from that store.


     


    This isn't rocket science Apple. Make it happen.

  • Reply 15 of 148
    fazzterfazzter Posts: 120member


    Was waiting for HBO to go on the ATV. Updated software and there the icon was! Go to activate the device and guess what? If DirecTV is your provider you can't use HBO Go on the ATV! Totally useless! WTH is the difference between using it on XBox 360 (allowed) vs ATV? Quite annoying.....


     


    Has anyone else found a way to use it with a DirecTV subscription?

  • Reply 16 of 148
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,960member
    For some reason I can no longer access photo albums via the Computer sub-menu on the Apple TV. Even the on-screen instruction on what to do to fix it doesn't match up with reality. This was before this new update. Hope it fixes it.
  • Reply 17 of 148
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,960member
    trumptman wrote: »
    I don't want them to just keep adding channels all over the place. I want a channel store and the ability to add or subtract channels as I desire from that store.

    This isn't rocket science Apple. Make it happen.
    No, it isn't rocket science, rocket science is much easier than dealing with the Byzantine world of video content.
  • Reply 18 of 148
    eideardeideard Posts: 428member
    Watch ESPN adds nothing to the app. The catch being affiliated providers. Even if your TV source carries the ESPNs, you can't watch live programming unless your provider is paying a spiff to ESPN.

    DirecTV subscribers have been griping about this since Day 1 of the app. The addition to Apple TV is the same. I can watch ESPN live on DirecTV; but, not on my Apple TV. Their D* contract doesn't include the spiff.
  • Reply 19 of 148
    williamlondonwilliamlondon Posts: 1,324member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NoTown View Post


    I would happily pay for HBO and Showtime if I didn't have to get the rest of the bloated package.



     


    I know! The other day I went to buy a bus pass and the clerk said, "that'll be £15,000." I thought, "what?" She told me, "a bus pass costs £15,000, it comes with a car." I told her I didn't want a car, I had no use for a car and didn't even have a driver's license, that all I wanted was a bus pass. She said, "fine, £15,000 is the cost of the bus pass, the car comes with it regardless."


     


    Doubtful any pro-consumer legislation will ever come about (or that anyone will apply anti-trust laws to them), but there will be a tipping point where these cable operators lose some of their power and companies like HBO have more freedom to do as they choose - I'm sure they lose out on people *not* buying the whole package and would like to being somehow to address the people like you who only want one or a few channels and not every style, home DIY or god channel out there.


     


    And as RichL above says, when do we get iPlayer on this lovely little box??

  • Reply 20 of 148
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,523member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Robin Huber View Post





    No, it isn't rocket science, rocket science is much easier than dealing with the Byzantine world of video content.


    I don't see why, if they release an app/channel store then the content providers themselves get to jump over any legal hurdles. BBC iPlayer etc etc is on the App Store for the iPhone & iPad no reason at all that it can't be on the Apple TV.

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