Apple to Overhaul TV App, Remove Standalone Apps from Apple TV

Apple plans to overhaul the TV app in an effort to consolidate its Apple TV+ streaming service and its standalone movie and TV show purchase options, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. A tvOS update in December will introduce the changes that Apple has planned.

Apple TV 4K hero 221018
To push users to the ‌Apple TV‌ app, Apple plans to remove its standalone ‌Apple TV‌ apps that are available for renting and purchasing TV shows and movies. The movie and TV show sections from the iTunes Store app on iPhones and iPads will also be eliminated.

Apple wants to push customers to the TV app, which already houses purchased movies and shows, ‌Apple TV‌+ content, and third-party channels that customers can subscribe to.

The TV app will serve as a hub for streaming content, and Gurman says the redesigned app will have a side panel at the left that can be used to navigate between different video categories.

Updated navigation should make the TV app less confusing for consumers, making it clearer which content is from Apple and available through the ‌Apple TV‌+ subscription and which content requires a separate subscription.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Sad Siri Feature

Apple AI Chief John Giannandrea Retiring After Siri Delays

Monday December 1, 2025 2:16 pm PST by
Apple AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down from his position and retiring in spring 2026, Apple announced today. Giannandrea will serve as an advisor between now and 2026, with former Microsoft AI researcher Amar Subramanya set to take over as vice president of AI. Subramanya will report to Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi, and will lead Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and ...
Netflix Smaller 4

Netflix Kills Casting From Its Mobile App to Most Modern TVs

Monday December 1, 2025 4:36 am PST by
Netflix has quietly removed the ability to cast content from its mobile apps to most modern TVs and streaming devices, including newer Chromecast models and the Google TV Streamer. The change was first spotted by users on Reddit and confirmed in an updated Netflix support page (via Android Authority), which now states that the streaming service no longer supports casting from mobile devices...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Cyber Week Deals 2025

Best Cyber Week Apple Deals Include Big Discounts on AirPods, Apple Watch, and More

Sunday November 30, 2025 7:33 am PST by
Cyber Week is here, and you can find popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more at all-time low prices. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Specifically,...
iOS 26

What to Expect From Apple This December: iOS 26.3 Beta, Replay 2025, and More

Monday December 1, 2025 8:40 am PST by
The calendar has turned to December, and the quieter year-end holiday season is now upon us. Nevertheless, we can still expect a few things from Apple this month. Apple previously announced that iOS 26.2 will be released to the general public in December, and we can expect corresponding updates to be released as well, including iPadOS 26.2, macOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2, tvOS 26.2, and visionOS...

Top Rated Comments

RickDEGH Avatar
28 months ago
I honestly didn’t understand any of what I just read ?
Score: 75 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xpxp2002 Avatar
28 months ago
Ugh, that's disappointing. The dedicated apps are faster and much easier to navigate.
Score: 73 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iwan073 Avatar
28 months ago
The :apple:TV app is such a mess. I have no idea where to look
Score: 64 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goodcow Avatar
28 months ago
The TV app is much worse than the individual movies and tv shows apps. This would be horrible from a user experience POV to do this.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rorschach Avatar
28 months ago
Still waiting for them to give us an option to remove the massive ads that show up above my Up Next queue in the Watch Now tab. On my iPhone, they take up more than three quarters of the screen. IMO “Watch Now” should only show content I’ve already purchased or is available on services I’ve already subscribed to. And if they are going to show me ads above my Up Next, at least personalize it so it doesn’t show me stuff I’ve already watched.

I’m fine with this change because there’s already a Store tab. But the TV app itself needs a lot of work.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
page3 Avatar
28 months ago
Great idea.

Better to have one app I never use, rather than several I never use.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)