Apple To Help Viewers Discover TV Shows Through an App (usatoday.com)

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Apple To Help Viewers Discover TV Shows Through an App (usatoday.com)

Posted by msmash on Wednesday October 26, 2016 @06:10AM from the better-tv dept.

Apple plans to announce a new way for viewers to discover TV shows through an app, according to a report on USA Today. The app will release as soon as this week, the report adds. From the article: Described to network executives as "the Watch List," the app will recommend shows based on the content viewers access through their Apple TVs. For example, a subscriber to FX Networks might be encouraged to check out the new dramatic series Atlanta. This new approach of distilling recommendations into a single app builds on the improvements in search and discovery that Apple introduced last year, with the fourth update to its Apple TV streaming box.

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K... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 06:12 · Score: 0

Yeah but, tv is trash.
Download advertising? by dasgoober · 2016-10-26 06:13 · Score: 2

You want me to download an app so that you can advertise to me??
Ya, let me get on that ......
1. Re:Download advertising? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 06:21 · Score: 0
  
  I generally avoid software that needlessly "helps" a user to do something. eg: this app,spyware such as toolbars etc..
2. Re:Download advertising? by cayenne8 · 2016-10-26 06:55 · Score: 1
  
  Hell, Tivo has has this capability for well over a decade now......it recommends shows to you if you want (you can turn it off).
  
  --
  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
3. Re: Download advertising? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 10:19 · Score: 0
  
  But now it's from Apple so now it's innovative!
4. Re:Download advertising? by ghoul · 2016-10-26 11:32 · Score: 1
  
  You wont have to download. It will be part of iOS 10.2 and uninstallable
  
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  **Life is too short to be serious**
How hard will they push HBO? by Joe_Dragon · 2016-10-26 06:16 · Score: 1

How hard will they push HBO?
Discover? by Mister+Transistor · 2016-10-26 06:18 · Score: 3, Insightful

That's like falling into an outhouse and "discovering" all the turds down there.
Nice try, Apple. Sheesh.

--
-- You are in a maze of little, twisty passages, all different... --
1. Re:Discover? by AmiMoJo · 2016-10-26 09:52 · Score: 1
  
  These recommendation systems are usually biased towards the content that pays the most. Even if it isn't direct payments for rankings, they often take into account the amount of hype and astroturfing.
  
  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
  SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
Doesn't Netflix do this in its main interface? by xxxJonBoyxxx · 2016-10-26 06:20 · Score: 1

>> "the Watch List," the app will recommend shows based on the content viewers access through their Apple TV

I seem to remember Netflix suggestions just showing up on my main content selection screen. Never having seen one, why does an Apple TV need a separate app to suggest TV shows to its viewers?
1. Re:Doesn't Netflix do this in its main interface? by jedidiah · 2016-10-26 06:22 · Score: 1
  
  >>> "the Watch List," the app will recommend shows based on the content viewers access through their Apple TV
  > I seem to remember Netflix suggestions just showing up on my main content selection screen. Never having seen one, why does an Apple TV need a separate app to suggest TV shows to its viewers?
  Tivo suggested things for you 17 years ago.
  If iTunes was less lame, it would already be doing this (like Amazon).
  
  --
  A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
2. Re:Doesn't Netflix do this in its main interface? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 06:49 · Score: 0
  
  TiVo does this as well I believe.
3. Re:Doesn't Netflix do this in its main interface? by zlives · 2016-10-26 07:00 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  yes but it is innovation when apple does it and news worthy.
4. Re:Doesn't Netflix do this in its main interface? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 08:02 · Score: 0
  
  It doesn't. They already have suggestions in the TV and movies apps.
5. Re:Doesn't Netflix do this in its main interface? by TheFakeTimCook · 2016-10-26 09:22 · Score: 1
  
  >>> "the Watch List," the app will recommend shows based on the content viewers access through their Apple TV
  > I seem to remember Netflix suggestions just showing up on my main content selection screen. Never having seen one, why does an Apple TV need a separate app to suggest TV shows to its viewers?
  Tivo suggested things for you 17 years ago.
  If iTunes was less lame, it would already be doing this (like Amazon).
  It did for music; but people didn't like it and they took it back out.
6. Re:Doesn't Netflix do this in its main interface? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 09:49 · Score: 0
  
  Will it be as circular as Netflix?
  All i get are recommended shows. It is tough to get it OUT of my fav genres and into unexplored territory :/
  It's to the point i may have to DISLIKE DR WHO so i can get something else in my list :O (DVD side)
  Maybe they can do sequels and stuff better at least. Netflix seems to miss other season/sequels an awful lot in favor of the director or actor or some other data point. I think i have used director and actor ONCE each in all of history to find a new show. ENOUGH already Netflix.
as soon as... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 06:22 · Score: 0

that soon, that's pretty soon... and brave, definitely brave
I hope it's not like Apple Music! by rockmuelle · 2016-10-26 06:25 · Score: 1

All I listen to on Apple Music are various electronic/dance genres and some metal. Apple Music has been great for manual discovery of new and leading edge music. You'd like a recommendation engine could run with that, right?
Naw. Apple Music also knows I'm an early 40s white guy and instead keeps telling me I should listen to prog rock, 80s pop, and the occasional "safe-for-old-people" new artist.
I suspect this will work out just as well. No, no.. don't watch Orphan Black or Dark Matter, you really should just be watching Seinfeld and Frasier reruns!
-Chris
1. Re:I hope it's not like Apple Music! by DaveyJJ · 2016-10-26 06:29 · Score: 2
  
  you really should just be watching Seinfeld reruns!
  Not that there's anything wrong with that.
  
  --
  DaveyJJ
2. Re:I hope it's not like Apple Music! by rockmuelle · 2016-10-26 06:41 · Score: 1
  
  True, but I've already "discovered" those.
  -Chris
3. Re:I hope it's not like Apple Music! by omnichad · 2016-10-26 06:56 · Score: 1
  
  keeps telling me I should listen to prog rock, 80s pop, and the occasional "safe-for-old-people" new artist.
  Ratings engines aren't magic. Odds are that a lot of people who listen to electronic/dance listen to those other things too.
4. Re:I hope it's not like Apple Music! by SeaFox · 2016-10-26 07:08 · Score: 1
  
  Apple Music also knows I'm an early 40s white guy and instead keeps telling me I should listen to prog rock, 80s pop, and the occasional "safe-for-old-people" new artist.
  I suspect this will work out just as well. No, no.. don't watch Orphan Black or Dark Matter, you really should just be watching Seinfeld and Frasier reruns!
  These dry music recs are making me thirsty -- for new black metal!
Innovative! by narcc · 2016-10-26 06:26 · Score: 1

A recommendation system based on past viewing behavior.
Why hasn't everyone thought of this years ago? Imagine how handy that would be for Netflix! They could even use it to predict how I'd rate content before I view it.
Not stopping with TV, how cool would it be if Amazon made recommendations to be based on my past purchases? I could discover new products which match my interests instantly. I'll bet that would do wonders for their sales.
Now I'll make a recommendation of my own. Instead of a separate app, why not integrate this functionality in to existing products? Instead of an "Amazon Recommends" app, how about just showing recommendations on their website? Instead of a "Netflix Suggester" app, have a category like "Recommended for you" right along side the other categories?
There's so much potential here I can't believe this wasn't done many years ago. Thank goodness we have Apple to show us the future!

--
Required reading for internet skeptics
1. Re:Innovative! by TheRaven64 · 2016-10-26 06:33 · Score: 1
  
  Not stopping with TV, how cool would it be if Amazon made recommendations to be based on my past purchases?
  Indeed. It looks as if you bought an 8GB USB flash drive. Have you considered this other brand of 8GB USB flash drive? What about this 16GB USB flash drive? I've been using Amazon since the late '90s and they have yet to recommend anything that I actually want to buy. You'd have thought 'you bought books 1 and 2 in this series, would you like to buy book 3?' wouldn't be too hard, but apparently it is.
  
  --
  I am TheRaven on Soylent News
2. Re:Innovative! by omnichad · 2016-10-26 06:58 · Score: 1
  
  I'd love ratings/recommendations to be decoupled from Netflix. I have Amazon Prime for shipping, but have no idea what video content I might want to watch. It won't take my Netflix ratings and tell me what to watch. But if there was a provider-neutral option, I'd re-rate everything I've ever watched just for that.
3. Re:Innovative! by tsa · 2016-10-26 18:36 · Score: 1
  
  Man, you're a genius! I could never have come up with even one of those ideasand here you are, just sprinkling them around like it's nothing. Amazing!
  
  --
  -- Cheers!
4. Re:Innovative! by painandgreed · 2016-10-27 04:11 · Score: 1
  
  Now I'll make a recommendation of my own. Instead of a separate app, why not integrate this functionality in to existing products? Instead of an "Amazon Recommends" app, how about just showing recommendations on their website? Instead of a "Netflix Suggester" app, have a category like "Recommended for you" right along side the other categories?
  That's pretty much where they are going. This is probably just a bit to test future software. Their plan, as put forth from their earlier releases will be probably something like the Apple TV but instead of just searching individual services you have paid for, or just the iTunes library, it will search TV schedules and all services and then inform you where they are. I bet you'll even be able to subscribe to such services through it. So, when you want to see that one movie that you've haven't seen in years, instead of having to check Netflix to see if they have it, Hulu, or iTunes, you'll just do a search and eventually this app will tell you if it is available, where, and for how much no matter where it is.
This looks like paid advertising by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 06:35 · Score: 0

Slashdot sucks more ass every day.
Whoosh by SuperKendall · 2016-10-26 06:44 · Score: 1

A recommendation system based on past viewing behavior.Why hasn't everyone thought of this years ago?
Ha Ha.
The difference is that Apple is doing it across all the apps you watch video from, that have video to offer. You see nothing new at all about recommendations for Hulu or FX based on what you watch on Netflix? Really?

--
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
1. Re:Whoosh by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 06:50 · Score: 0
  
  A recommendation system based on past viewing behavior.Why hasn't everyone thought of this years ago?
  Ha Ha.
  The difference is that Apple is doing it across all the apps you watch video from, that have video to offer. You see nothing new at all about recommendations for Hulu or FX based on what you watch on Netflix? Really?
  Since TiVo has been doing that for a couple of years now (and even gotten in your face about them with the Discovery Bar) ... yeah I really do see nothing new about this Apple rumor.
Don't just mine me. Help me SEARCH. by RandCraw · 2016-10-26 06:44 · Score: 1

It'd be awfully nice if the app would let you explore available content interactively rather than just mining your past viewing habits.
I have NO interest in Apple suggesting every damned sports event that happens in Detroit just because I once watched a Lions football game.
But an app that lets me search for content that's like shows I once enjoyed (like PBS' Cosmos (yea) vs Fox's Cosmos (nay), or online content from Youtube or VideoLectures.net) -- access to that kind of info could revolutionize how I watch TV and whether I choose to keep a TV set in the house.
Right now it's nearly impossible to find new video content that's worthwhile. THAT's the killer app. (Sans interference from iTunes, of course.)
Hahahahah. TV? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 06:46 · Score: 0

TV shows? What century is it?!
What's it called? by fustakrakich · 2016-10-26 06:48 · Score: 1

TV Guide?

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“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
You might also like... by PopeRatzo · 2016-10-26 06:50 · Score: 1

I hope Apple can do better recommending TV shows than they do recommending music.

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You are welcome on my lawn.
A new way to collect ad fees by QuietLagoon · 2016-10-26 06:58 · Score: 1

Described to network executives as "the Watch List," the app will recommend shows based on the content viewers access through their Apple TVs.

FTFY - Described to network executives as "the Watch List," the app will allow those execs to purchase recommendations and allow Apple to monetize the Apple TV service.
it takes courage by zlives · 2016-10-26 06:58 · Score: 3, Insightful

to innovate TV Guide
Tivo gonna get rich... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 06:59 · Score: 0

Cause they are so gonna sue for patent infringement.
This just in by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 07:23 · Score: 0

Apple show you ads about crap you never asked for and most likely don't care about either, while disguising it as a "feature".
Tivo Effect? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-26 07:31 · Score: 0

"But I only watched 'Will And Grace' one time one day
Wish I hadn't 'cause TiVo now thinks I'm gay"
-- Weird Al Yankovic - Couch Potato Lyrics
I already have such an app by nospam007 · 2016-10-26 07:32 · Score: 1

On Android. It's called uTorrent.
1. Re:I already have such an app by ninthbit · 2016-10-26 09:49 · Score: 1
  
  That's the Apple TV service... The App to track your shows and notify you when to watch is TVShow Time
Too many good shows already by Snotnose · 2016-10-26 09:09 · Score: 1

I don't need an app to help me 'Discover' new shows, I DVR more TV than I have time to watch already. There are several shows on my "get the DVD set" list for when the pendulum swings back and TV is nothing but a big manure patch again.
What?? by tsa · 2016-10-26 18:33 · Score: 1

I thought Apple was all about being creative and using your Mac to make videos and music and whatnot. And now they want to turn people into couch potatoes? Steve just turned around in his grave again.

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-- Cheers!
Retitle this to what it really is by kuzb · 2016-10-27 05:33 · Score: 1

Apple helps themselves to viewer's wallets.

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BeauHD. Worst editor since kdawson.