TiVo's Planned Apple TV App 'In Limbo'

During the January 2019 CES event, TiVo demoed a TiVo app to the Apple TV, but a year later, the project is "in limbo" and an Apple TV app is no longer being actively developed.

In an interview with TechHive at CES 2020, TiVo vice president of consumer products and services Ted Malone said that while ‌Apple TV‌ app plans haven't been canceled, it's not TiVo's focus at this time.

tivoappsinterface

"My bet is we'll get Android, and because of that we'll get the Fire TV, because it's the same app, just different qualifications," Malone said. "I think Roku and Apple are in limbo."

TiVo had initially planned to release new apps for Roku, ‌Apple TV‌, Fire TV, and Android TV at some point in 2019, allowing TiVo users to access TiVo DVRs on other TVs throughout the home without the need to purchase TiVo Mini boxes, but limited resources, technical challenges, and strategy changes have delayed those plans.

According to Malone, TiVo has to transcode video before sending it to other devices, which results in quality and performance issues that TiVo has not been able to resolve. The company has also been working on the TiVo Stream 4K and the TiVo+ streaming service, and an ‌Apple TV‌ app is not a priority.

Malone said that TiVo needs to "double down" on the streaming market and not get distracted by a "bunch of things people want, but aren't really going to move the needle."

Tags: CES 2020, TiVo

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
Google maps feaure

Google Maps Quietly Added This Long-Overdue Feature for Drivers

Wednesday December 10, 2025 2:52 am PST by
Google Maps on iOS quietly gained a new feature recently that automatically recognizes where you've parked your vehicle and saves the location for you. Announced on LinkedIn by Rio Akasaka, Google Maps' senior product manager, the new feature auto-detects your parked location even if you don't use the parking pin function, saves it for up to 48 hours, and then automatically removes it once...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...

Top Rated Comments

triscuitbiscuit Avatar
78 months ago
TiVo still exists?
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
timlopez Avatar
78 months ago


Malone said that TiVo needs to "double down" on the streaming market and not get distracted by a "bunch of things people want, but aren't really going to move the needle."

That's funny. I've "wanted" to use TiVo services for the last 13 years. I've "wanted" to give them money for said services. Giving people what they want so that they continue to give you money isn't a bad thing. It's why they're a company in the first place - they had something people wanted.

However, their inability to be a modern technology company and instead 'double down' on streaming (because they're absurdly late to the game) is going to be their downfall. No one wants their streaming device. There's enough of those out there already. They need to focus on their services, because thats the core of their business. They need to understand that cord cutters are not their market, and focus on those who still use Cable TV. It's a dying business, but it's not going to be dead any time soon. Either way, TiVo won't survive, especially under this leadership.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aristobrat Avatar
78 months ago

TiVo just doesn’t get it...users don’t want a TiVo app for the Apple TV. They want an Apple TV app for the TiVo. Simplicity.
I have a 6-tuner TiVo in the living room and a TiVo mini + Apple TV in most of the bedrooms/office. I was looking forward to selling the TiVo minis and being able to do everything on the Apple TV.

For folks new to TiVo, being able to watch on other TVs (using an Apple TV, Roku, or Fire TV app) without needing to drop $179 for a TiVo Mini seemed like it would make TiVo that much less expensive to get into.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Len Banks Avatar
78 months ago
As a VERY longtime user of TiVo, the company is always flirting on the edge of being truly wonderful and then they do some bone-headed thing to ruin it. I don't see why I would want a TiVo app on my AppleTV, but I sure would like an AppleTV+ and Disney+ app on my TiVo. THE STUPID TiVo+ is a an annoying joke and and the pre-roll ads for a PAID service is outrageous. I would cut the cord in a second and leave TiVo and Comcast if it wasn't for the SKIP commercials feature and the HORRIBLE Apple TV remote.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macpro2000 Avatar
78 months ago
TiVo just doesn’t get it...users don’t want a TiVo app for the Apple TV. They want an Apple TV app for the TiVo. Simplicity.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sidewinder3000 Avatar
77 months ago

a "bunch of things people want, but aren't really going to move the needle."
Wow. If they think allowing Apple users who want to access their TiVo recordings in the seamless, convenient way they prefer won’t be good for business, then I think they are confused. Apple users are consistently one of the most active and valuable segments of tech users, and it seems like suicide not to serve them. TiVo was a brilliant idea that changed media consumption, but the way they’ve run their business since then has left them on the outside looking in. They need to embrace the ways their customers want to consume and use their TiVo content. Not see it as a burden.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)