Apple is planning to roll out a redesigned Apple TV app and phase out the separate iTunes movies and TV Shows apps on Apple TV in December, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Update 27.10.2023: The new Apple TV app with a sidebar menu has appeared in the tvOS 17.2 beta 1. See the table at the bottom for FlatpanelsHD's screenshots. The headline has been changed but the article text remains unchanged from our October 25 article.
The redesign will bring the user interface of the Apple TV app closer in line with Netflix's interface, according to Bloomberg's sources. It will adopt a side panel on the left of the screen for navigation.
The goal is to make the Apple TV app a complete entertainment hub.
The app update is reportedly planned for December 2023, which probably means that it will arrive together with tvOS 17.2.
The iTunes movie store
Despite launching the Apple TV app in late 2016 and despite offering access to all of customers' existing iTunes movie and TV show purchases from the app, the company has kept the separate iTunes Movie and iTunes TV Shows apps alive on select platforms including tvOS.
This is expected to change in December.
The current design of the Apple TV app on Apple TV 4K. Photo: Apple
- "As part of the overhaul, the company will discontinue its dedicated apps on the Apple TV set-top box that let users rent and buy movies and shows. It will also remove the movie and TV show sections from the iTunes Store app on iPhones and iPads," wrote Bloomberg. "The idea is to steer more customers toward the main TV app, which sits at the center of Apple’s expanding video strategy."
Also read: tvOS 17.1: Enhance Dialogue for all HomePods and On-Screen Volume Display
The Apple TV app is also available on third-party devices such as Smart TVs, media streamers and consoles. The report did not provide a timeline for app updates on these devices.
The new Apple TV app in tvOS 17.2
Update 27.10.2023: The new Apple TV app with a sidebar menu has appeared in the tvOS 17.2 beta 1. See our screenshots:
 The new Apple TV app in tvOS 17.2 with a sidebar menu that can be opened by clicking back or an extra left click. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
 'Channels & apps' services can be hidden but not sorted. The other menu items cannot be modified. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
 'My TV' are sections for those streaming services that have integration with the Apple TV app. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
 The movie store in the new Apple TV app in tvOS 17.2. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
 The movie library in the new Apple TV app in tvOS 17.2 lets you filter by genre. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
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