Instead of having to open each app, Apple wants to create a universal TV guide on Apple TV that will provide an overview of all the content you have access to, according to a report from Recode.

A universal TV guide
Apple appears to have scrapped the plans to launch its own TV service. Instead the company wants to build a better guide to tell you what content is available where.

In October 2015, Apple introduced new Apple TV hardware along with the tvOS operating system. From the tvOS app store you can download apps such as Netflix, HBO, Hulu, and Showtime. Streaming apps can already highlight content on the home screen via the “top shelf” but Apple wants to go further. 

Apple is reportedly working on a universal TV guide that would make it easier and faster to find content and play it with a single click, regardless of what streaming service it is offered through. The plan is to make the universal TV guide available on both Apple TV and iPhone/iPad.


Recode claims that the upcoming "single sign-on" feature that will be introduced this fall with tvOS 10 is the first step of this plan. Apple will have now to convince content companies to join.

Apple TV already offers some means of universal search via Siri voice search. It sounds like the TV guide is an extension of the Siri integration.

The company refused to comment on the rumored new feature.

- Source: Recode