Apple planning to revamp Apple TV app as response to competition

Apple is reportedly planning to adapt to the increasing competition in the streaming industry by making some important changes to the Apple TV app. A new report sheds light on Apple’s plan to not only redesign the Apple TV app but also discontinue at least two apps. The changes in the design of the Apple TV are not exactly clear right now, but since Apple is likely to integrate the two apps it wants to discontinue into the redesigned Apple TV app, the interface will expectedly look different from the existing one.

Bloomberg has reported that Apple will phase out iTunes movies and iTunes TV shows apps, which let users buy or rent movies or TV shows through dedicated platforms. Since users can buy or rent movies or shows directly from the Apple TV app, these two apps look irrelevant. Apple, thus, will likely remove this redundancy by discontinuing these iTunes apps later this year. That will allow the Apple TV app to grow its services, thereby, bringing changes to the interface.

Apple TV app: What else is changing?

Not only are the iTunes movies and iTunes TV shows apps from the Apple TV going, but their counterparts on iOS and iPadOS are going, too. The report said Apple is also planning to remove the dedicated “TV shows” and “movies” sections in the iTunes Store app for the iPhone and iPad. Post that, users will have a single app — the Apple TV app — to buy or rent movies or TV shows.

All of these changes will bring about changes in the interface of the Apple TV app. Bloomberg said the revamped app on the Apple TV box will have a new side panel on the left-hand side, featuring video categories. In a very similar design like that of Netflix and some other streaming services, the Apple TV app for the Apple TV box will also have a matching navigating interface. Since this app is also available on select smart televisions, such as Sony and LG’s, these design changes will appear on them, as well.

The overhaul to the app, the report said, is a part of Apple’s efforts to consolidate its “various video offerings” into a single hub. It could, at the same time, be a response to the criticism the Apple TV app has been receiving for being too cluttered and confusing for many users. Bloomberg said the overhauled Apple TV app may see a release in December. That means it may be a part of tvOS 17.2, which likely arrives in late December or next year.