ABC today announced a rebranding of its Watch ABC app for iOS and Apple TV devices, now simply called "ABC," aimed at offering a wider breath of content as well as new, exclusive digital series for users who download the app. The interface has also been redesigned and the app is exclusive to iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV (via Entertainment Weekly).

abc new iOS app
One of the more interesting aspects of the new ABC app is that the network has added 38 full seasons of "throwback" shows, meaning that anyone can download the app and watch entire seasons of now-cancelled ABC series, without having to sign into a paid TV service account. Some of these old shows include Ugly Betty, Schoolhouse Rock, Ellen, My So-Called Life, and Dinosaurs.

“Our team has completely re-imagined the digital viewing experience for ABC fans,” said Karin Gilford, ABC’s senior vice president of digital media, in a statement. “In addition to the current ABC shows that fans know and love, we are introducing new ABCd original digital series that are fun, fresh and perfect for mobile, and we are making full seasons of all-time favorite shows available for binging.”

Otherwise, ABC will function much in the same fashion as its predecessor, allowing those who can provide proof of a TV subscription access to brand-new episodes of the latest TV from the network, like Scandal and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., with the addition of new digital short-form video series. Users will also be able to stream live TV from within the app.


ABC is available to download from the iOS App Store for free. [Direct Link].

Tag: ABC

Top Rated Comments

zorinlynx Avatar
117 months ago
Why does ABC require a subscription to a TV service to watch new content? ABC content is *FREE OVER THE AIR*. You just need an antenna. Why do they want us to give companies like Comcast (who is a competitor even!) money to watch them?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2010mini Avatar
117 months ago
Why do studios insist on loading old shows, (that are available elsewhere ad free), with Ads???
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jettredmont Avatar
117 months ago
Way to stick a pin in the balloon. They added all these classic shows, some of them great, many worth watching. And if you are already a cable subscriber, there's no extra charge. Otherwise you would have to subscribe to Hulu or Netflix to get older shows (if these are even available via those services).

These older shows are NOT available over the air, and ABC is using these to justify the small fee they get from your provider.

Honestly, if you want FREE over-the-air broadcast, just get rabbit ears, and use them as intended. Or sit on them; I don't care. Or be a whiner, if that's how you want to be.
You are conflating two things.

Yes, ABC is giving non-cable-subscribers and cable subscribers alike access to the same back catalogue already on Hulu, Amazon, and Netflix (definitely with subscriptions, probably free-with-commercials on Hulu without subscription for most of these shows if not all of them). Fabulous.

However, ABC is giving current season (or rather, any season access for non-canceled shows) show access only to people who also happen to get their content from a cable company. This justifiably rankles those who get live ABC over the air (as ABC is required by law to provide).

As for why, the reason is simple. ABC gets carriage fees from cable companies, so they make more money off cable subscribers and would love to keep that cash cow mooing.

The real question, though, is why ABC won't allow non-cable-subscribers to directly pay ABC the equivalent of a per-subscriber carriage fee (less than a dollar per month per subscriber) in order to sign in.

As alternatives, non-cable subscription networks like Sling TV and Playstation Vue allow ABC access on their $20/month plans (along with many other channels of course), so that might be an option if you just have to have ABC shows on your AppleTV. Or, you may find that just buying seasons of the shows you actually care about a la carte is a much better and more affordable option (especially if bought using iTunes Gift Cards that often show up on sale for 10-15% off and periodically from 20-25% off).
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2010mini Avatar
117 months ago
Why does ABC require a subscription to a TV service to watch new content? ABC content is *FREE OVER THE AIR*. You just need an antenna. Why do they want us to give companies like Comcast (who is a competitor even!) money to watch them?
Because ABC does not own all the towers that broadcast OTA content. Your local affiliate station holds the rights to broadcast that content. Your local pay tv provider (cable/satellite)negotiates retransmission fee with Them. As such ABC cannot then broadcast to you directly as it would be breaching contracts. The local affiliate cannot retransmit to you directly by Internet because they would be breaching contracts with pay tv providers.

So the best way is to authenticate via your pay tv provider as they already have the retransmission rights in place.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cube Avatar
117 months ago
Is there any AppleTV video content besides the iTunes stuff available outside USA?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
117 months ago
Way to stick a pin in the balloon. They added all these classic shows, some of them great, many worth watching. And if you are already a cable subscriber, there's no extra charge. Otherwise you would have to subscribe to Hulu or Netflix to get older shows (if these are even available via those services).

These older shows are NOT available over the air, and ABC is using these to justify the small fee they get from your provider.

Honestly, if you want FREE over-the-air broadcast, just get rabbit ears, and use them as intended. Or sit on them; I don't care. Or be a whiner, if that's how you want to be.
That's just it, though. ABC doesn't even provide a way for us to pay them directly. They want us to subscribe to comcast or DirecTV to watch stuff that you don't even need Comcast or DirecTV to watch live.

It doesn't make sense.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...