Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming iOS 12.3 update to developers, two weeks after releasing the second beta and a month after the launch of iOS 12.2, an update that introduced Apple News+, new Animoji, and more.
Registered developers can download the new iOS 12.3 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.
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iOS 12.3 and tvOS 12.3 introduce a new version of Apple's TV app, which has been updated with a new look and fresh functionality.
In the new TV app, "Watch Now" and "Up Next" are still front and center for keeping track of what you're watching, but there's a new machine learning-based recommendation engine that will suggest content based on your viewing preferences and history.
The app's interface has been streamlined with sections for movies, TV shows, sports, and kids content, and on iOS, there's a separate bottom bar for the library, search, and Watch Now options.
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There's a new "Channels" feature in the TV app, which is one of the major new components of Apple's services push. Channels are subscription services that you can sign up for and watch within the TV app without having to open up another app.
So, for example, if you come across a show you want to watch on your iPhone or Apple TV that's on Showtime, you can tap to subscribe to Showtime right in the TV app, and then you can watch that show without leaving the app.
Some of the new Channels that will be supported include CBS All Access, Starz, Showtime, HBO, Nickelodeon, Mubi, The History Channel Vault, and Comedy Central Now. During the beta, though, users can subscribe to Showtime, Starz, Smithsonian, EPIX, and Tastemade.
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You'll still get recommendations for content from services that aren't a part of Channels, you'll just need to watch non-channel content in a third-party app. The TV app also houses iTunes TV shows and movies.
When Apple debuts its Apple TV+ service this fall, all of the company's original TV shows and movies will also be accessible in the TV app. iOS 12.3 will be in beta testing for the next few weeks ahead of a May launch, the month when Apple said the new TV app will be released.
Top Rated Comments
Update that may affect compatibility, either hardware or API for 3rd party apps is reserved for major version update (e.g., 13).
I haven’t noticed anything new in beta 3, hopefully some of the weird freezes on iPad are fixed..
Palm rejection seems broken again
The expectations of consumers these days for what their mobile devices can accomplish has flown way past what they expect from their desktops or laptops—they want to carry their whole office, home, theater, television, shopping mall, phone, and gaming universe in their pocket, and they want it to be indestructible, waterproof, sexy, universally-compatible and Geekbench/Speedtest approved as well.
The only way Apple (and Google and Microsoft as well) could make everyone happy would be to maintain about four different iOS versions with varying compatibilities constantly updated, and people complain about how long it takes for a single update to roll out as it is. Personally, I think Apple does a pretty good job at juggling all these impatient and demanding mobs at it is, and I’d prefer they keep their emphasis on the future over supporting obsolete devices.
Apple gets slammed if they don’t support industry standards, and they get slammed if they do... nothing new.