Apple in its "Hello Again" event, held in October 2016, launched its new TV app along with the iOS 10.2 update. The app was launched for iDevices, iPhone, iPad and Apple TV.
Now, an update to the TV app basically brings all the video services and apps that a user has subscribed to in one place, as well as integration for Netflix.
Earlier, conducting a Siri search for a specific movie would bring up the content on Netflix. After instructing the iDevice to play the movie on Netflix, the user would be redirected to the Netflix app, where he or she had to select the title again to watch the movie.
It seems, that after the Jan. 17 update, the Netflix app has been integrated into the TV app. With the update, the user is no longer redirected to the Netflix app; instead the video starts streaming automatically as it does for other subscribed video services like HBO Go.
If the user needs to stop the video and come back to it after a while, the movie will be listed in the "Up Next" section of the TV for the user to resume watching.
The Apple TV app, although not perfect as of now, works satisfactorily as it lessens the hard work among users, who previously had to toggle between subscribed video apps to decide what to see.
The inclusion of the Netflix app in the Apple TV app is still on the way before the users get desired results, according to Apple Insider.
As of now, Netflix titles don't come up in the "Recommended Section," and subscribers are not allowed to add Netflix Originals in their "Up Next" list. Also, the Netflix title art in the "Up Next" queue still needs to be worked on as it shows no patterns to what will load and what will not.
Apple To Produce Original Content For Apple TV?
According to reports, Apple is reportedly looking forward to producing its own original video content for its video content aggregator — i.e. the TV app. The report claims that Apple took the decision in order to revive the declining iPad sales.
Apple allegedly has already gone forward with the plan and is trying to rope in major Hollywood producers and senior marketing executives to start its new initiative. Rumors of Apple producing feature films are also rampant.
Reportedly, the content Apple will be producing at the beginning will be similar to shows like Westworld, Stranger Things and The Man in the High Castle.
If these reports turn out to be true in the long term, it would suggest that Apple is not prioritizing the Netflix integration for the TV app currently as it is aiming for something bigger and better.
