Apple TV universal search integrates ABC, Disney Channel, Disney Jr. and Disney XD content

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited February 2016
Disney is the latest Apple TV content provider to take advantage of the set-top's universal search API, as deep links to content from the company's Disney Channel, Disney Jr., Disney XD and Watch ABC tvOS apps are now accessible via text and Siri voice search.




The additions allow fourth-generation Apple TV owners search for ABC hits like "Black-ish" and "Castle," as well as a comprehensive list of Disney shows including "Pickle and Peanut" and "Girl Meets World." Using Siri, users are able to surface viewing options from Disney's complement of tvOS apps alongside other outlets like iTunes and Hulu, even if those apps aren't yet installed on the device.

A tentpole feature of the fourth-generation Apple TV, universal taps Siri to surface shows and other content from a host of compatible providers. In the example above, sitcom "Black-ish" is shown with availability from iTunes, Hulu and ABC.

Apple introduced the handy content search feature when it shipped the fourth-generation Apple TV last year, with initial support limited to iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, Showtime and HBO. Prior to launch, Apple promised to open universal search APIs to developers last October, though providers have been slow to adopt the feature.

In January, PBS and PBS Kids were the first apps to tap into the tvOS universal search API when Apple opened access to developers late last year. Fox, FX Now and Nat Geo provisioned their respective catalogs into universal search earlier this month.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    I hope Netflix do the same.
  • Reply 2 of 10
    I hope Netflix do the same.
    Huh? They had it at launch...

    "Apple introduced the handy content search feature when it shipped the fourth-generation Apple TV last year, with initial support limited to iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, Showtime and HBO."
    nolamacguy[Deleted User]pmz
  • Reply 3 of 10
    I've been waiting for this!
  • Reply 4 of 10
    focherfocher Posts: 687member
    Wake me when they support your own iTunes Library content in Universal Search.
    bonobobnoivadrfrmac
  • Reply 5 of 10
    focher said:
    Wake me when they support your own iTunes Library content in Universal Search.
    not going to happen. your random collection of files acquired from who knows where cant be counted on to have valid metadata. your best hope is a third party app like plex, but Im still waiting. 
  • Reply 6 of 10
    noivadnoivad Posts: 186member
    focher said:
    Wake me when they support your own iTunes Library content in Universal Search.
    not going to happen. your random collection of files acquired from who knows where cant be counted on to have valid metadata. your best hope is a third party app like plex, but Im still waiting. 

    Assuming a person doesn’t title songs based on random words it should be able to recognize matching spoken words to matching written words or what is voice control even for? Siri can already find “Supermassive Black Hole” in my library on my iPhone, extending it to search your LAN connected machine(s) for library matches is doable, it just might not be very fast depending on the network and media access time (time to spin up drives or wake computers from sleep for them to handle a request).

    Sony’s own Gracenote has tons of polluted metadata, & iTunes uses it. But you only notice that if you take the time to double check and correct Gracenote errors. Gracenote has too few genres, doesn’t always properly mark compilations, doesn’t include easy fields like “Album Artist” — not “Artist” — & often getting song title spacing & words wrong thanks to lazy submission review.

    Plus iTunes being buggy for updating edited track info doesn’t help. (It has the symptoms of a race condition complicated by populating data with outdated cache info)

  • Reply 7 of 10
    I agree with "Wake me when they support your own iTunes Library content in Universal Search".  This is what really needs to be added.  I only hope in March, with an update to iTunes, that this will be made available.  This future should have been in at launch.
  • Reply 8 of 10
    pmzpmz Posts: 3,433member
    I'm more in the "Wake Me Up when Plex Gets Siri" camp.

    I used iTunes and Home Sharing for years, but it is just an inferior product to Plex and I had to abandon it. I still keep my iTunes organized, but by doing so my Plex library automatically stays organized.

    Thankfully I can now open Plex, go to Search, and Voice dictate a search...but its additional steps that wouldn't be needed with Siri support.
  • Reply 9 of 10
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    I hope Netflix do the same.
    Huh? They had it at launch...

    "Apple introduced the handy content search feature when it shipped the fourth-generation Apple TV last year, with initial support limited to iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, Showtime and HBO."
    Sorry it was a quick comment I made, it wasn't detailed enough for you to get my drift.   I mean I'd like to see it go much deeper into Netflix.  It's all we use every day with Apple TV 4 (having all but stopped using cable) other than Plex (which has pretty poor Siri support too)  but there are limits how far Siri can take you inside Netflix, I'd simply like it to go further.  For example you can't say to Siri, "My List" or such like, i.e. there is very little navigational ability by voice. 
    edited February 2016
  • Reply 10 of 10
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member

    pmz said:
    I'm more in the "Wake Me Up when Plex Gets Siri" camp.

    I used iTunes and Home Sharing for years, but it is just an inferior product to Plex and I had to abandon it. I still keep my iTunes organized, but by doing so my Plex library automatically stays organized.

    Thankfully I can now open Plex, go to Search, and Voice dictate a search...but its additional steps that wouldn't be needed with Siri support.
    I use Plex too but can't even get Siri to open a specific Library.  It will be awesome once Plex and Netflix can be totally navigated by voice as opposed to simply searching for a title etc.
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