The real headline of this article is “Why these apps gotta cut the shit and just become Apple TV Channels”. Sick of this nonsense that these content providers value these kinds of things over user experience. It’s consumer hostile. Disney+, Discovery+, HBO Max, and Peacock should ALL be integrated channels all with the same UI we’ve come to love most with Apple TV App content. These stunts they’re pulling with forcing their crappy proprietary UI on us has to stop already. No one likes it.
What confuses me is that on Chromecast Android TV for instance "scrubbing" is not an issue on any of the channels using the remote. Forward/backward/back 15 seconds all the same no matter which channel is being used. Why the issue on AppleTV hardware, which I no longer have and can't check for myself. FWIW tho Apple TV channel on Chromecast works the same as HBO and Disney and Hulu and Paramount and all the other channels.
BTW Apple TV is available for ALL more recent Android TV devices whether boxes, dongles, or smart tv's with it built-in. Not a clue why Apple's own AppleTV would have compatibility issues with channel providers, so I'll just wait for someone who knows to explain.
I am lost. Why doesn't the Apple Remote send scrubbing UI events to apps? Why does Apple insist that apps use its video playback features? I know that in my apps I am constantly working around the limitations of Apple's SDKs and often end up implementing some feature that eventually becomes built into the system in a future update. The developers of the other video player apps probably wanted to write one piece of code that worked on every platform for an easier to maintain code base.
Can someone explain why Disney chose to make Disney+ a separate app instead of being available as a channel inside the Apple TV app? What are they gaining from that decision? It seems like they lose functionality by doing that.
Probably viewer metrics? I don't have an ATV but on the web most custom players are for getting viewer statistics.
Sadly, that’s not how software development works with other companies that uses Apples’ platform to build apps.
Third part developers are not just sitting/standing idle dwindling their thumbs and can jump on any new shiny OS or API released by Apple right away. It will be in pipeline and supported but not now, like how Americans (most first world people who open wallet for any new gadget by Apple) are entitled to think - I want it NOW!
Software features are not a small thing and changes have to be well thought out and various edge case considerations are made before release, unless you understand how it can fit in existing workflow or architecture, tested and pushed out without causing other areas to be affected then may be.
just saying your NOW thinking is a problem. But trust me it’s no fun with broken software that support all functions of new OS.
my 2c.
mobird said: TV (hardware) streaming platform apps will skirt API's to disrupt the experience that Apple wants for their users even something as small as a scrubbing feature.
This is not a "new" API that developers have to develop to or implement. If the app developer was using Apple's video player, the feature is automatic. The developer decided they could make a "better" video player, instead of using Apple's built in player (probably for better spying/telematics). Because of that, they do not receive the benefit of Apple's player's new features.
Shame on them for not following the Apple way & fragmenting the platform!!!
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BTW Apple TV is available for ALL more recent Android TV devices whether boxes, dongles, or smart tv's with it built-in. Not a clue why Apple's own AppleTV would have compatibility issues with channel providers, so I'll just wait for someone who knows to explain.
Shame on them for not following the Apple way & fragmenting the platform!!!