Apple Incorporates tvOS Events App Into Apple TV App Ahead of WWDC

Ohhhhh.... it’s almost Keynote time!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
With old Tim “Welcome Back”-ing
And everyone telling you “Betas are here!”
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

It’s the hap-happiest season of all!
With those new Animojis and haters bemoaning
The products unveiled
It’s the hap-happiest season of all!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
There’ll be much frantic coding
And bug reports flowing
From testers all year
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

The TV app as it stands is a bit of a mess. I really think Apple TV+ content should be separate. And the app shouldn’t co-mingle things you have to buy/rent with things you have a subscription to.

This really lends into my hunch that Apple is de-emphasizing apps in tvOS. The TV app is becoming the home screen. It even has its own button that used to bring you back to the app screen but now brings you to the TV app.

I think we’ll see a new tvOS where all content is inside of the TV app and Channels take importance over streaming services’ own apps. This will encourage most content providers to support Channels — with the notable exception of Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max.

While I don’t think apps are going to disappear, they’ll probably have their own menu with a list view. Apps that connect their content to Up Next and Search but launch from inside of the TV app will still do that but hitting the home button will bring you back to the TV app, not the app screen we have today.

Non video apps in tvOS never really hit any stride and lately, I’ve been finding most tvOS apps that I have are outdated and haven’t been receiving support or updates.

Will the new AppleTV (hardware) just be a TV app device for TVs that don’t already have the TV app built in or will Apple keep the powerful box it has now so that it can use it as an Apple Arcade box?

I personally would love to have the TV app to be a place for all of my movies and series across all services. It's quite annoying that Netflix doesn't support this feature.

I’d like it to fully replace my cable box(es) (with the understanding that I’d still be paying a separate subscription for that service). There’s no need for me to have a separate device, that I can see, as all DVR is in the cloud already and they tend to offer the same type of stuff anyway (rentals, Netflix, etc.). Cable can make an app (that works) and have no need to offer other apps that are unnecessary through their box.

edit: pretty sure I went OT with this post. Oops

I have Spectrum services and I use their app on both my Apple TV's. It's not perfect, but I use it and really like not having to pay for a cable box, and dvr service.

Again, I’m not suggesting these apps are disappearing. I singled out Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max because they have insisted on having their own apps. They will continue to have their own apps.

But all of these apps already integrate into the AppleTV app. Netflix shows are in my Up Next. I can search for the Mandalorian inside of the TV app. I have all the Marvel movies cued up in my Up Next in the TV app. That won’t change.

What will change is that apps will be far less prominent in tvOS. You’ll be able to launch into Netflix directly by bringing up an app list but you’ll more often launch into Netflix from inside of the TV app. When you click a Netflix show, it sends you into the Netflix app.

We’ve already seen Apple deemphasizing apps in tvOS in favour of the TV app and with the Events app moving into the TV app today, we’ve seen this progression continue.

I'm not seeing Netflix shows in my up next from Netflix? How do I get this to work?

This now confirms to me that tvOS, Apple TV, and Apple TV+ are getting a lot of announcements and overhauls at WWDC. I expect immediate shipment of the new Apple TV, a revamped tvOS, a new and improved Apple TV+ interface to highlight TV+, and at least 4 new show announcements plus trailers and release dates.