Play 2.0.7 for the Apple TV is now available! This update brings you:
• The ability to triage new videos from channels you follow;
• A comprehensive redesign that makes better use of the available space;
• A new way to set a Tag or Smart Search as your default start screen.
@mactanaka What?! Marcos, you’re making my dreams come true!
@devondundee I had a feeling you'd like it!
@mactanaka Marcos. This is too good.
@mactanaka does this app integrate with the “Up next” feature of the Apple TV? (Not sure on the exact English name since I use it in Dutch) So the list where the next episode of a show you’re watching on a streaming service pops up.
@niels It doesn’t (actually, I’m not sure there is an API for this? I’ll have to check) but you can add it to the top section to access your latest videos without having to open the app.
@mactanaka you might be right about the API, I think you have to be on apple’s special partners list (like have your own streaming service). The latest videos in the top section is cool. Not all apps seems to even support this (looks at Disney+). Cool, thanks for the reply.
@mactanaka this is insanely well done. Thank you!
@sigmund Thanks!!
@mactanaka Wonderful update
@mactanaka Looking real good
@mactanaka HUGE! Really appreciate being able to triage right from the TV – saves the step of opening it on the phone, loading the follow feed, triaging, *then* heading to the TV. Tangible flow improvement, thank you.
@mactanaka BTW, does the Apple TV YouTube app support user-selection embedded in the URL by chance?
I am finding that if I don’t pre-open the YouTube app and select my user – also have a kids profile enabled – that when I launch a video from Play it takes me to the user-selection screen...only to then bunt me to the main home screen and NOT play the video (which has now been marked as played in Play)
@jkrahn I’ve seen that happen a few times right after installing the YouTube app, but now it always picks the latest selected user for me. So I’m not sure what it actually does behind the scenes, but I don’t remember configuring anything specific for this
@mactanaka Ahhh has Play always been available for Apple TV? I just downloaded it on iOS when MacStories added the discount and was literally thinking “This would be perfect on Apple TV”.
Can’t wait to download this when I get home!
@aaronschendel Yes, it is! I’ve never actively advertised it in the app, but there's a small section in Help mentioning the Apple TV app. Hope you like it!
@mactanaka I was hesitant to try this, unclear if it would work with non-YT videos, despite the badges on the app image. Went to import a Hulu video by URL (the share to Play option didn’t appear in my share sheet) and it just crashes the app on iPhone. Bummer.
@jabell Can you share the URL so I can debug it?
@mactanaka I just saw this new version on my Apple TV tonight. I don’t mean to criticize, but the Videos section does not seem like an improvement to me. When I want to browse by a tag, I have to go to the Settings tab and switch the filter and then go back to the Videos tab. It’s a lot more clicking as I was used to navigating the tag categories a lot.
Also, it no longer dims the videos that I’ve watched. I have to go to the Settings tab and change the filter to Watched. What am I missing here?
@platkus This is one of those cases where it depends on the usage pattern. I got feedback from people confused about watched videos being dimmed, as it makes them harder to read.
The same happens with the Videos section. Many users didn't understand the reason for a persistent sidebar with tags, when 99% of the time they just use the ‘New' section. But I see that users who frequently change tags may find the new version harder to use.
@mactanaka I see. Maybe you could add a checkmark badge to the lower right corner of watched videos like Apple does for episodes of TV shows in the TV app.
I see the usefulness of the Videos tab, but still miss the quick access to tags. Maybe you could bring this view back with a “Tags” or “Categories” tab in addition to Videos.
P.S. Please don’t do this to the MusicBox tvOS app!
@platkus That's an interesting alternative. I’m currently showing a “new” tag under the video’s title, similar to the iOS/iPadOS app.
@mactanaka Ah, OK. I hadn’t noticed the “new” tag until you mentioned it. That definitely helps.