Apple TV is receiving a flurry of new channels today. Most prominently is a brand new YouTube app, to bring the client up-to-date with some of the other platforms. The new app reflects the design of other set-top box clients, with easier access to subscriptions and search functions. For the security conscious, the YouTube app now uses OAuth to login rather than naive password entry (by visiting youtube.com/activate)
Unfortunately, this YouTube update also means that Apple TV users will start seeing ads for the first time on the platform. Naturally, some users will be disappointed by this addition — it is not possible to opt out of the update.
Aside from YouTube, Apple TV is also getting four entirely new channels from various providers. Rolling out today are channels for Conde Nast’s ‘The Scene’, ‘Fusion’, Dailymotion (a video upload site from France) and UFC for premium subscription fighting and martial arts content.
The Scene (from TheScene.com) collects video content from Conde’s magazines as well as third-party sites like The Verge whereas Dailymotion is much more of a free-for-all video upload site a la YouTube. However, neither of these channels require a subscription to view on Apple TV. UFC has pay-per-view or annual ‘Fight Pass’ for $99 a year, for mixed martial arts fans.Fusion provides video programming for a ‘young and diverse audience’, with a ‘unique mix of news, pop culture and satire’. The network is a joint venture between and Univision ABC.
The four channels, plus the YouTube update, are rolling out now and will appear automatically on your Apple TV. For the first time, Apple is highlighting the changes with a cute ‘New’ banner in the interface. Apple TV last added new channels in October, with the addition of FYI and Feeln. A Beats Music app was added in September.
