TV

Apple buys hit TV segment ‘Carpool Karaoke’ for Apple Music

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 11, 2018

Apple has purchased the rights to turn Carpool Karaoke—the viral segment that broke out on the Late Late Show With James Corden—into its own series, reports The Hollywood Reporter. It plans to develop 16 episodes, that will stream weekly on Apple Music.

"We love music, and Carpool Karaoke celebrates it in a fun way that is a hit with audiences of all ages," said Eddy Cue. "It's a perfect fit for Apple Music — bringing subscribers exclusive access to their favorite artists and celebrities who come along for the ride."

tvOS’s Universal Search feature gains support for Comedy Central, MTV and VH1

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 15, 2016

Universal Search feature on the fourth-generation Apple TV has been refreshed yesterday with expanded support for searching content provided by tvOS video apps from Viacom-owned Comedy Central and music networks MTV and VH1. Provided these apps are installed on your set-top box, you can either use the Search app on the device or press the Siri button on the remote and use your voice to find shows like South Park and others.

YouTube planning to launch a live TV subscription service in 2017

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 5, 2016

Google has accelerated efforts to beat Apple to market with a live TV service on YouTube, dubbed “Unplugged”, Bloomberg reported yesterday. Work on boosting YouTube's infrastructure is already underway as launching the service has taken on a high priority.

For a yet-to-be-determined monthly fee, YouTube users will be able to subscribe to so-called skinny bundles of television programming, streamed over the Internet.

These bundles should include some of the most popular offerings from major U.S. broadcast networks and cable services.

Apple meeting with top talent to develop original programming

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Apple has been secretly meeting with top entertainment talent, reports Fast Company. In a lengthy article detailing the streaming ambitions of various tech giants, the outlet says the iPhone-maker has its sights set on building a lineup of original programming.

According to sources, the company quietly set up shop at the Imperial Hotel in Utah during this year's Sundance Film Festival. There, it hosted a series of private events, known as the "iTunes Lounge," where it discussed content deals with actors and filmmakers.

Apple ‘frustrated’ by streaming TV challenges, says ESPN President

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Apple is frustrated with the many challenges it has faced in trying to build its streaming TV service, reports The Wall Street Journal. The outlet recently sat down with ESPN president John Skipper, who said the iPhone-maker is finding it tough to create something that works for both them and programmers.

"They are creating a significantly advantageous operating system and a great television experience and that television experience is fabulous for sports," Mr. Skipper told the Journal. "We are big proponents of believing it would be a fabulous place to sell some subscriptions. We have ongoing conversations."

Apple in talks with NFL to live-stream next season’s London games

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Apple is in talks with the National Football League regarding streaming rights, reports Reuters. Citing two sources familiar with the situation, the outlet says the iPhone-maker is among a group of tech firms pursuing the opportunity to live-stream 3 NFL games next season.

More specifically, the companies are looking to buy the rights to conduct live streams for all three of the NFL games to be played in London next year. Yahoo hosted a live stream of a single London-based game this season, and by most accounts it was a success for both parties.

Read this if your new Apple TV is messing up your TV or receiver

Sébastien Page ∙ November 12, 2015

Strange things started happening to my TV since first plugging in my new Apple TV a couple weeks ago, and while I didn't immediately connect the dots, it quickly became apparent that the new device was the culprit. After a bit of digging and a lot of commonsense, I figured out my problems and how to fix them. As often, the solution was just at the click of a button.

How to program a universal infrared remote to control your Apple TV

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated September 13, 2023

Your universal infrared remote which used to control your old Apple TV should work just fine with the fourth-generation Apple TV right out of the box. In some cases, however, your legacy remote might need configuring in order to learn the signals that the Siri Remote generates.

In this post, we're going to show you how you can program a universal infrared remote that came with your TV, cable box or DVD/Blu-ray player in order to navigate the entirety of tvOS, or use it with a prior Apple TV model.

How to control your TV or receiver volume using the Apple TV remote

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 13, 2023

In addition to using your Siri Remote to navigate the tvOS user interface and play games on the fourth-generation Apple TV, you can program it to control power and adjust volume levels of your television set or home theater receiver.

That's because your Apple TV and the Siri Remote that came with it are compatible with HDMI-CEC and outfitted with a built-in infrared receiver and blaster.

This means owners of the new Apple TV can adjust the volume of their TVs and home theater receivers via the HDMI cable or line of sight, using just their Siri Remote.

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to program your Siri Remote and configure it to work with your home entertainment equipment.

CBS chief again says the network intends to sign up for Apple’s TV service

Cody Lee ∙ Updated July 25, 2019

CBS's Les Moonves on Wednesday reiterated that the network intends to sign up for Apple's upcoming TV service. During an interview with Bloomberg, the CEO again indicated that recent discussions with the Cupertino company will probably lead to a content deal.

“Apple is having conversations with everyone about doing their own streaming services,” Moonves told the hosts of Bloomberg TV. “We have had those conversations, as have the other networks. Do I think something will happen? Probably, but I do not know when.”

Amazon said to be in talks with networks regarding live TV service

Cody Lee ∙ October 7, 2015

Amazon is exploring the creation of a live, streaming television service, reports Bloomberg. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the outlet says the online retailer has reached out to major media companies including CBS and Comcast's NBCUniversal to discuss carrying their channels.

The talks are assumed to be in the preliminary stages. Analyst Dan Rayburn wrote on Tuesday "those I have spoken with haven’t disclosed how far along Amazon is with regards to a live OTT service." He added that it's possible Amazon is simply examining the economics of the business.

Tim Cook to appear on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert next week

Cody Lee ∙ September 11, 2015

Apple CEO Tim Cook will appear on the new "Late Show with Stephen Colbert" next week. Colbert made the announcement himself via Twitter, posting a picture of him using an Apple Watch asking Siri to add Cook to his calendar.

For those unfamiliar with the program, the Late Show is a primetime talk show that began in the early 90's with host David Letterman. In May, Letterman retired, and popular TV personality Stephen Colbert took his place this month.