Apple TV Now Offering HBO GO And WatchESPN Programming Thanks To A New Update
June 19, 2013
Apple has announced that they have pushed out a new update for the Apple TV. The update brings HBO GO and WatchESPN to the device for the first time.
The addition of HBO GO to the Apple TV interface was first announced earlier this year. It allows HBO subscribers to stream content directly from the Apple TV. Previously, this was only possible through AirPlay streaming from an iPhone/iPod touch or iPad.
WatchESPN allows select cable and satellite subscribers to stream live content from ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, and ESPN Buzzer/Goal Line.
According to Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services:
HBO GO and WatchESPN are some of the most popular iOS apps and are sure to be huge hits on Apple TV. We continue to offer Apple TV users great new programming options, combined with access to all of the incredible content they can purchase from the iTunes Store.Joining HBO GO and WatchESPN on the Apple TV are Sky News, Crunchyroll, and Qello. Sky News offers 24/7 programming and is available to users in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Crunchyroll is a leading global video service for Japanese Anime and Asian Media. On the Apple TV, it allows subscribers worldwide to watch the latest HD shows one hour after they air in Japan. Finally, Qello is an on-demand streaming service for HD concerts and music documentaries. Users may sign-up for Crunchyroll and Qello instantly on the Apple TV. The Apple TV update is available now by going Settings > General > Software Update on your device. While many will be thrilled with Apple TV's new offerings, some may not. For example, DirecTV customers won't be able to use HBO GO directly on their device. Instead, they will have to continue streaming content from their iOS device via AirPlay. This limitation isn't Apple's fault. Rather, this is all on DirecTV, which continues to place this limitation on Roku device owners as well. Regardless, it's nice seeing new content come to the Apple TV. Wouldn't you agree?