Apple Releases Fourth Beta of iOS 12.3 With New TV App to Developers [Update: Public Beta Available]

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming iOS 12.3 update to developers, one week after releasing the third beta and a month after the launch of iOS 12.2, an update that introduced Apple News+, new Animoji, and more.

Registered developers will be able to 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 or Starz, you can tap to subscribe right in the TV app, and then you can watch that show without having to open another 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 the Channels feature, but non-channel content will need to be watched 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.

Related Forum: iOS 12

Top Rated Comments

azdolan Avatar
54 months ago
Good. This beta has been incredibly buggy with Safari
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
54 months ago
TV app will be a work in progress for some time to come. The problem with all these integrated Apple iOS apps is that non of them can be updated without updating the whole freaking OS.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1BadManVan Avatar
54 months ago
I hope the PB comes out, this current beta sucks! Fast when it runs but safari locks up and crashes all the time
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
busyscott Avatar
54 months ago
Why do all of Apple's first party apps look identical and terrible these days?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hermes16 Avatar
54 months ago
alright new Emoji's, I want the emoji job.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
0958400 Avatar
54 months ago
Always funny to see that they do not manage to put series in the correct sort order. Harry Potter should start with one and end with 7.2, but here it is all mixed up. :(
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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