The latest Apple TV model will hit stores in October and it contains an embedded universal search feature. The API will drastically improve people's viewing experience.
The new iteration will make it easy for viewers to find the entertainment they're looking for with only one search. The tent pole feature of the set top-box enables viewers to browse through multiple services when they want to find a specific TV show or movie.
According to Tim Cook, Apple CEO, the generalized search available for Apple TV will extend beyond core content partners.
"At launch we'll have iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, and HBO—so we'll have five major inputs into universal search initially," Cook mentioned in an interview.
He added that the opening of API invites different content providers to be in the search queue as well.
"I think that many, many people will want to be in that search," Cook pointed out.
He continued that the major concern for the Cupertino-based company was user experience and comfort. At times, users have to flip through a number of services to find what they are looking for. The CEO assures that this process will be simplified due to the universal search.
A relevant question is how Apple will execute it, especially when episodes from a series are scattered on multiple services. This gets even more complicated when taking into account how some services are viewed through subscriptions, such as Netflix, while others have a pay-per-view policy like iTunes. Will owners of the new Apple TV zigzag between the portals, or will the API assist them in the process?
"It will be clear which service is free," Cook explained.
Users will get a list of episodes, paired with their respective providers and potential costs. The same episode might be available on iTunes, HBO and Netflix, and the consumer can choose which one to watch.
The challenge Apple has to stand up to is finding the sweet spot between downloaded content, streaming subscriptions, and free entertainment, all while making the navigation between them smooth and simple. Apple TV was plagued by a text-based, non-intuitive interface for a very long time.
The new API has the potential of turning the Apple TV experience into a pleasurable pastime, and for little to no cost as well.
