Apple begins rollout of TV app in Australia, Canada ahead of iOS 11 & tvOS 11 debut

AppleInsider

Apple on Monday began rolling out its TV app in Australia and Canada ahead of tomorrow's scheduled iOS 11 and tvOS 11 release, which will deliver the one-stop streaming hub to seven additional countries later this fall.

As promised during last week's iPhone event, Apple is expanding availability of the TV app to seven countries -- Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, Norway and the UK -- by the end of 2017.

Apple TV owners running the latest tvOS software in Australia and Canada discovered the TV app, or at least its icon, on their home screen earlier today and took to Twitter to note the the change. On fourth-generation Apple TV units, the TV app seems to be a placeholder instead of a functional app, but its presence hints at an imminent release likely timed to coincide with tomorrow's iOS 11 and tvOS 11 launch.

In addition, a few iOS 11 beta testers with access to Apple's GM seed saw TV go live on iPhone, but not yet iPad, reports iPhone in Canada. Currently, the TV app only installs and appears on iOS when a device is connected to a cellular network. The app reverts back to the legacy Videos title when on Wi-Fi.

Initial support appears limited to CraveTV, Treehouse, CBC TV, City TV, ICI Tou.tv, FXNOW, MUBI, Hopster and CuriosityStream, though more channels are expected for inclusion when the service sees public release.

Last Tuesday, SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue said Australia and Canada would get access in September, but failed to specify a detailed timeline for launch. With the app now showing up on Apple TV units in those countries, it appears the company is gearing up for a rollout alongside iOS 11 and tvOS 11, or shortly thereafter.

Unveiled last year, and released to U.S. customers in December, the TV app acts as a central hub for browsing, discovering and managing streaming content across a variety of providers and owned media.

Apple currently offers support for more than 60 third-party services with support for cross-platform syncing and deep Siri integration. Later this year, Apple will add a new Sports tab to the TV app, which offers access to live sports.

6toecat

Yup, got the app pushed to my AppleTV. All it is is a black screen, no functionality. For Canada, I call it a FAIL.

slurpy

6toecat said:

Yup, got the app pushed to my AppleTV. All it is is a black screen, no functionality. For Canada, I call it a FAIL.

I'm in Canada, it just popped up a couple hrs ago, and functions perfectly for me. Chill out. 

kevin kee

6toecat said:

Yup, got the app pushed to my AppleTV. All it is is a black screen, no functionality. For Canada, I call it a FAIL.

It works in Australia.

anome

So that's what that is...

It's on my iPad, which is running iOS 11, and seems to have content. I should check the Apple TV when I get home.

iqatedo

AppleInsider said:

Apple TV owners running the latest tvOS software in Australia and Canada discovered the TV app, or at least its icon, on their home screen earlier today...

So, is the icon something that just says 'TV'?

gveres

6toecat said:

Yup, got the app pushed to my AppleTV. All it is is a black screen, no functionality. For Canada, I call it a FAIL.

Me too. They put the icon in the top row so that it comes up but it came up with no content and no name under it. So at first, you are looking at the screen going "What's this?" And when you go into the app, it just sits there loading on all the screens except the library screen. It seems very un-apple like. Even the font they used for the menu across the top is very un-apple like. 

razormaid

This has to do with today’s launch of the software for TV itself. TVos 11

During all stages of beta testing it worked flawless but with the new GM, both my TV 4 units started “studdering” when watching a movie. I tried Apple downloaded movies as well as my own massive collection.

I’ve tried everything including reinstalling 10 then go back to 11 clean, but unless I go back to the beta before the GM it persists. They did sometimbg to the GN causing this so make sure you put a movie on immediately and check. It’s look like strange editing FX but it’s not. Very irritating to watch!

edited September 2017

lolliver

gveres said:

6toecat said:

Yup, got the app pushed to my AppleTV. All it is is a black screen, no functionality. For Canada, I call it a FAIL.

Me too. They put the icon in the top row so that it comes up but it came up with no content and no name under it. So at first, you are looking at the screen going "What's this?" And when you go into the app, it just sits there loading on all the screens except the library screen. It seems very un-apple like. Even the font they used for the menu across the top is very un-apple like. 

It's only being rolled out to those in Apple's Beta program. It's not un-apple like at all, it's beta software.

flashfan207

6toecat said:

Yup, got the app pushed to my AppleTV. All it is is a black screen, no functionality. For Canada, I call it a FAIL.

Me too! The little wheel just kept on spinning, but nothing happened. Then today when I turned my Apple TV on, the TV app had just... disappeared, lol. Obviously not ready for release yet. I am relieved to hear that I wasn’t the only one experiencing this. 

flashfan207

lolliver said:

gveres said:

6toecat said:

Yup, got the app pushed to my AppleTV. All it is is a black screen, no functionality. For Canada, I call it a FAIL.

Me too. They put the icon in the top row so that it comes up but it came up with no content and no name under it. So at first, you are looking at the screen going "What's this?" And when you go into the app, it just sits there loading on all the screens except the library screen. It seems very un-apple like. Even the font they used for the menu across the top is very un-apple like. 

It's only being rolled out to those in Apple's Beta program. It's not un-apple like at all, it's beta software.

Really? Oh, I did not realize that. That would explain it then, I guess.