Apple TV's epic redesign revealed! And they finally nailed the app's interface

(Image credit: Sigmund Judge / Apple)

Earlier this week, reports surfaced of a new Apple TV app redesign on the horizon. Now, thanks to the tvOS 17.2 developer beta, we can get our first glimpse at the brand-new interface.

The Apple TV app, available on most smart TVs and all of Apple’s hero products bar the Apple Watch, has always been a bit cumbersome to navigate. Well, not anymore, as Apple has opted for a more traditional streaming platform navigation format. Think Netflix, but better.

There is now a dedicated sidebar with different sections, including Search, Watch Now, ‌Apple TV Plus, MLS Season Pass, Sports, the Store, and Library. Underneath these sections, there is a dedicated Channels & Apps area so you can access other streaming services like Disney+. When you tap one of these services, the Apple TV app now shows all of the content from the service selected, it’s very easy to navigate and takes away from the clutter of the past.

On iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2, the new applications have removed the Movies and TV Show tabs, combining everything to make navigation much simpler, taking you into your movie or TV show quicker than before.

These welcome changes close the gap between Apple TV and other streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait long to see the official release of tvOS 17.2 and updates to the Apple TV app on our Smart TVs.

tvOS 17.2 developer beta is out, and with it comes our first look at the new @AppleTV app navigation… pic.twitter.com/GQ44ABtFLdOctober 26, 2023

Better experience — iMore’s take

The new sidebar navigation on the Apple TV app is a much-needed improvement that should make using Apple TV better than before. Streaming service apps in general, are a little cumbersome, but if Apple integrates these changes correctly, then Apple TV and Apple TV Plus could have the best experience going.

We’ll need to see how these changes incorporate across the Apple TV landscape but it’s nice to see that Mark Gurman’s prediction of an updated interface in December has come early, and hopefully, Christmas will too.

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John-Anthony Disotto is the How To Editor of iMore, ensuring you can get the most from your Apple products and helping fix things when your technology isn’t behaving itself. Living in Scotland, where he worked for Apple as a technician focused on iOS and iPhone repairs at the Genius Bar, John-Anthony has used the Apple ecosystem for over a decade and prides himself in his ability to complete his Apple Watch activity rings. John-Anthony has previously worked in editorial for collectable TCG websites and graduated from The University of Strathclyde where he won the Scottish Student Journalism Award for Website of the Year as Editor-in-Chief of his university paper. He is also an avid film geek, having previously written film reviews and received the Edinburgh International Film Festival Student Critics award in 2019. John-Anthony also loves to tinker with other non-Apple technology and enjoys playing around with game emulation and Linux on his Steam Deck.

In his spare time, John-Anthony can be found watching any sport under the sun from football to darts, taking the term “Lego house” far too literally as he runs out of space to display any more plastic bricks, or chilling on the couch with his French Bulldog, Kermit.