Apple TV gains Pandora app, but tvOS 9.1 still lacks Bluetooth keyboard support
Streaming music service Pandora launched an official tvOS app on Wednesday, while separately, users have noticed that the fourth-generation Apple TV continues to lack Bluetooth keyboard support, even after Tuesday's tvOS 9.1 update.
Image Credit: MacRumors
The new Pandora app eschews the service's normal interface for a grid-based layout consistent with tvOS design. A menu bar up top lets users quickly switch between Now Playing, My Stations, Create Station, and Account tabs.
Exploiting the greater screen space, album art is also featured more prominently. The Now Playing tab offers standard options for voting on a song or skipping it, as well as track information and a progress bar.
Pandora is already one of the most popular streaming music services in the world, and first place in the U.S., but could cement its hold through its recent takeover of Rdio, which will allow it to launch on-demand streaming on top of radio stations.
AppleInsider can confirm that the fourth-generation Apple TV still doesn't support pairing a Bluetooth keyboard, even though the option was present on the third-generation set-top.
Typing has been one of the more frequent complaints about the new hardware, since tvOS' onscreen keyboard is separated into two rows at best and forces users to scroll back and forth repeatedly if they're using the Siri Remote. Voice commands don't work in all circumstances on the device, such as entering a password.
The tvOS 9.1 update did however restore compatibility with the iOS Remote app, allowing much faster text input via an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Image Credit: MacRumors
The new Pandora app eschews the service's normal interface for a grid-based layout consistent with tvOS design. A menu bar up top lets users quickly switch between Now Playing, My Stations, Create Station, and Account tabs.
Exploiting the greater screen space, album art is also featured more prominently. The Now Playing tab offers standard options for voting on a song or skipping it, as well as track information and a progress bar.
Pandora is already one of the most popular streaming music services in the world, and first place in the U.S., but could cement its hold through its recent takeover of Rdio, which will allow it to launch on-demand streaming on top of radio stations.
Bluetooth keyboards in absentia
AppleInsider can confirm that the fourth-generation Apple TV still doesn't support pairing a Bluetooth keyboard, even though the option was present on the third-generation set-top.
Typing has been one of the more frequent complaints about the new hardware, since tvOS' onscreen keyboard is separated into two rows at best and forces users to scroll back and forth repeatedly if they're using the Siri Remote. Voice commands don't work in all circumstances on the device, such as entering a password.
The tvOS 9.1 update did however restore compatibility with the iOS Remote app, allowing much faster text input via an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Comments
Who needs a keyboard on an Apple TV? Yack! What is it a PC?
When i bought 2nd gen AppleTV as it came out and had to use dinky remote for inputting userid/password. Man so much frustrating. Typically Apple does most things right and good thing if something sleeps through than somehow make it right quickly.
"Fanboys" typically read.
When an iOS device is so much smaller, and almost always sitting right beside you, it's a LOT more convenient to grab than a big 'ole physical keyboard. Have multiple Apple TVs? Your options are:
1) buy multiple keyboards to use
2) keep pairing and un-pairing a keyboard for each one
3) select which Apple TV you want to control from the Remote App on iOS with a simple tap on the screen.
I'll take the latter.
There may be another solution: a Bluetooth keyboard connected to an iOS device... maybe a Bluetooth keyboard case on an iPad, like many people have, if you REALLY feel the NEED to use a physical keyboard.
I may be a "fanboy," as you say, but at least I'm not a miserable, old, disgruntled person who has nothing better to do than lash out at total strangers on the internet. Before you come off in reference to my glaring comment about your assumed lack of reading, maybe you should realize you cocked the hammer on the gun I fired at you for calling us "fanboys" when you don't know a single one of us.
There is no shortage of we "fanboys" who call out Apple for missteps.