Apple TV 6.1 Software Update Makes Hiding Channels Easier

Alongside the launch of iOS 7.1, Apple today updated its Apple TV software to version 6.1, adding a much-requested feature that allows users to hide unwanted channel icons from the main screen without needing to access the Parental Controls menu. The hiding feature joins an already existing rearranging feature, letting users further customize their Apple TV home screens as the number of channels has grown significantly in recent months.

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Arranging or hiding icons can be initiated by selecting an item in the main menu and then pressing and holding on the Select button of the remote control until the icon jiggles, much as how icon rearranging functions within iOS. Icons can be moved using directional buttons, with Play/Pause available for more options.

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The Apple TV software was last updated to version 6.0.1 in October, following the release of the 6.0 software in September, which brought several new features including iTunes Radio and AirPlay from iCloud. Earlier this week, the Apple TV gained a new iTunes Festival channel ahead of SXSW.

Users can download the Apple TV 6.1 software through the Apple TV’s over-the-air update mechanism found in Settings --> General –-> Software Update.

Apple has also updated the Remote app for iOS devices to version 4.2, adding a feature that allows users to browse purchased movies and TV shows within the app and then play them on the Apple TV. The update also includes the ability to control iTunes Radio on the Apple TV and offers bug fixes and stability improvements. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

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dearfriendx

65 months ago

Sweet! An easy way for a grown man to hide 8 Disney channels

Rating: 16 Votes

musika

65 months ago

Add this feature to iOS for iPhone and iPad!

Rating: 13 Votes

GenesisST

65 months ago

Finally! No more annoying posts about not being able to hide apps (when you could, in a convoluted way)!

Rating: 11 Votes

chainprayer

65 months ago

Safari feels.... oh sorry, wrong device.

Rating: 8 Votes

Northgrove

65 months ago

BRB, hiding 80% of all icons...

Rating: 8 Votes

KylePowers

65 months ago

Neato.

Now release an App Store and a dope 4th gen AppleTV :D

Rating: 5 Votes

pmz

65 months ago

I'm going to turn on my AppleTV and see how long it takes to auto-update.

I've yet to see that work on AppleTV.

Rating: 3 Votes

2010mini

65 months ago

I think that's what he had in mind. All that's left is we need to stop paying the cable companies for access and be able to just pay $10/month/channel. I'll take Fox (for Family Guy and American Dad), Food Network (for fiancée), and I think there's another channel my fiancée would want (E! ? Not sure what the other channel she watches is). Oh, and CC for South Park, of course.

That would be $40/month. Much better than what I'm paying right now for hundreds of channels I don't want just so I can have the four I want.

$10 per Chanel? Are you serious??? From this post you clearly show you don't know how expensive it is to create tv programs.

As expensive as paid tv subscriptions seem to be, it is actually way cheaper than if it were offered per diem.

Rating: 3 Votes

mic j

65 months ago

Right.... Leave all the idiots who have bought your products behind, hopefully they'll be dim enough to buy your "new and improved" product, if you don't give them a meaningful upgrade.

We still cannot hide the Apple tiles on the top. These are basically ads for Apple services and we should be able to get rid of them and replace them with tiles we actually use, like Netflix or anything else.

Apple TV is not a free product, the box actually costs costs more than most competitors' products. We should not be force-fed Apple tiles (ads) on hardware we paid for.

Wow! All that hostility of a single row of tiles that can't be hidden. :eek:

Rating: 2 Votes

highdough

65 months ago

I completely agree! Finally, we can put NewStand in a folder, but I'd like to hide some of those apps entirely! If they can't be uninstalled, please just let us hide the icon from view.

Long overdue on the AppleTV!

You can put NewStand in a folder, but no one puts Baby in a corner!

Rating: 2 Votes

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