The future of TV is apps, says Apple. And its latest app for the Apple TV box is called "TV."
The app showcases TV shows and movies from apps that a customer subscribes to, shows content you've purchased from iTunes, and surfaces new apps that offer video content.
"It will completely change how you watch TV with your Apple TV as well as your iPhone and iPad," said Apple CEO Tim Cook on stage at Apple's event today. It provides "a unified TV experience that's one place to access all of your TV shows and movies, one place to discover great new content to watch."
Unless, that is, you want to watch something from Netflix. TV shows and movies from the most popular streaming video service will not be included in Apple's TV app.
The app is designed to build on the universal search experience already provided by Apple TV (which does include Netflix) and other devices such as Roku, with a sort of universal browse. The top of the app, which has a design familiar to anyone who's used Apple TV before, has four sections labeled Watch Now, Library, Store and Search.
Watch Now allows you to continue watching a show from where you left off, and suggests new shows based on previous activity, surfacing those from services to which you're is subscribed. It also provides suggested new shows and movies in Spotlight and What to Watch sections.
The app is designed primarily for use on the big screen with Apple TV, but looks the same and offers the same functions on iPhone and iPad.
The TV app will incorporate Apple's single sign-on feature, which simplifies the arduous process of authenticating apps such as Watch ESPN and FX Now that require a cable subscription for full functionality. It even surfaces all of the apps a customer can subscribe to, based on their cable package. (These functions appear to be US-only for now.)
In addition to the new app, Apple also highlighted some current Apple TV features, including the ability to tune in to live TV from supported apps, and ask for specific categories of TV shows and movies, all using voice via the box's included Siri remote.
