Apple Begins Promoting 'Live Tune-In' Feature on New Apple TV Splash Screen

  by Mitchel Broussard

Apple today began promoting a new feature on the fourth-generation Apple TV called "Live Tune-In," which lets users jump directly into the live streams of select apps using Siri. The company is specifically promoting CBS, ESPN, and Disney XD as apps that support Live Tune-In, but it hasn't disclosed yet how soon other apps that have live channel functionality will gain the new feature as well.


To use Live Tune-In, Apple TV users can speak into the Siri Remote using commands like "Watch CBS," or specifically ask to "Watch ESPN live." Other features on the new splash screen of the Apple TV include updates that were released in March's tvOS 9.2 update -- including Folders and Bluetooth keyboard support -- but Apple is just now beginning to promote the Live Tune-In ability as an option for those who watch live channels often on the platform.

Some live streaming apps do require separate subscriptions to be able to watch live TV in the first place, so the CBS app won't work for those who don't have a CBS All Access account. Other live streaming-supported apps that don't appear to incorporate Live Tune-In yet include ABC and Food Network.

(Thanks, Eric!)