Apple today released tvOS 12.3, the seventh update to the tvOS 12 operating system that runs on the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 12.3 comes more than a month after the release of tvOS 12.2.1, a minor bug fix update.
tvOS 12.3 is a free update that can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System -> Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to tvOS 12.3 automatically.
tvOS 12.3 is the biggest tvOS update Apple has released for quite some time because it introduces an overhauled TV app, which Apple first showed off earlier this year at its March 25 event. The new TV app is similar to the old TV app but it has a refreshed, modern look along with new features.
There are dedicated sections for TV shows, movies, sports, and children's programming, along with access to your iTunes content. There continues to be a "Watch Now" section with an "Up Next" feature for keeping track of the TV shows and movies you're watching, and there's a new machine-learning based "For You" option that surfaces content recommendations based on what you've previously watched.
Apple has included a "Channels" feature, which is a major part of the company's new services push. With Channels, you can subscribe to paid TV content from services like HBO, Showtime, and Starz, and watch that content right within the TV app without having to swap over to a third-party app.
When you subscribe to a service through the TV app, Apple gets a cut of the subscription price and it makes it easier to access third-party content. While Channels are available, the TV app will continue to recommend content that's also only available through third-party apps, so it will work the same way that it did before, but with better recommendations.
The new Apple TV app is available in more than 100 countries starting today, and with Family Sharing, up to six family members are able to share subscriptions to Apple TV channels. Channels content can be watched both online or offline, including HBO content.
In the future, Apple plans to make its new TV+ subscription service available through the TV app, with TV+ offering up access to Apple's original TV shows and movies. The TV app is available on the Apple TV and iOS devices, and in the future, it will expand to the Mac.
Apple has also released new 7.3 software for the third-generation Apple TV models.
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https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210121
Just last week my boss was talking about removing a few of these from our network due to security audits claiming they were a potential threat vector; thanks to this update we don't have to worry about it and can continue using them. (Primarily we use them as AirPlay targets)
* Purchased TV shows and Movies are combined (why would I want that?)
* If you hover on a movie too long it starts auto-playing a trailer (like Netflix, and I loathe it)
* Movie album art is inconsistent, and now only three movies fit in a row; that’s only 6-9 on the entire screen; total waste of screen real-estate...
* ...meanwhile, the genres menu takes up half the screen (why is there no way to hide the side menu?) Admittedly this was previously the case, but it should have been fixed a long time ago
* You have to start watching a movie before you can read the movie info or quality (or select ‘play from beginning’)
* Movies in a series STILL aren’t displayed in numerical order
The worst part is, I can’t determine what they actually improved. Sure, it does a few things differently than before (like Channels) but that’s not a feature that I didn’t already have (with Prime, Hulu, etc).
EDIT: And for the love of god, why can’t I use Siri on my HomePod to turn the Apple TV on or off (or sleep)? Absurd.
[doublepost=1557787652][/doublepost]Anyone (in US) have pics of the new Apple TV channel on ATV 3?