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How to download and watch offline in the new Apple TV app

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The new TV app is better, and worse.
The new TV app is better, and worse.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Apple’s new TV app, available pretty much everywhere with iOS 12.3, lets you subscribe to TV and movie channels, as well as renting films and shows direct from Apple. The bad news is that, if you only want to watch your own sideloaded videos, the app is worse than the old Videos app. But if you subscribe to channels, or would like to, then TV is a fantastic way to consolidate all that entertainment.

And guess what? It’s even useful when you’re traveling or commuting. Today we’ll see how to download and watch TV shows and movies offline.

Apple rolls out iOS 12.3 beta 6 for developers and the public [Updated]

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Apple TV app
The new TV app in iOS 12.3.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Apple today rolled out its sixth iOS 12.3 beta for registered developers. It comes just days after testers got their hands on a fifth release.

It’s unlikely we’ll see any significant changes in this update. But there’s lots to look forward to in iOS 12.3 — including a revamped TV app with support for Channels.

Update: A version of this latest beta for the public was just released as well.

How to find that great song you heard on TV last night

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Somebody’s been doing some really hard listening here.
Somebody’s been doing some really hard listening here.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

If I’m watching a TV show and a great song comes on, I usually try to find my iPhone in time to shazam it. I almost always fail, as 1) TV shows don’t tend to play entire songs without people talking over them and 2) I can never find my phone in time. Or rather I’m too lazy to look for it.

A similar thing happens for movies, only I promise myself that I’ll check the credits at the end, and I seldom do.

My dad, old-school guy that he is, likes to call up the TV company and ask them. Maybe I’ll do that when I’m retired, if there are still TV companies with phone numbers.

But did you know that there’s an almost 100% foolproof way to find that awesome track that played in that TV show you saw last night? It’s called Tunefind, and it’s great.

How Steve Jobs gaslighted journalist about Apple’s TV ambitions

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Why Salesforce chief gave up AppStore.com for Apple
Did Jobs second guess himself on Apple's TV potential?
Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC

Apple has been working towards its TV ambitions for more than a decade now, ever since it launched the original Apple TV in 2007. However, a new anecdote from technology journalist Nick Bilton makes clear just how unsure the company has been in the past about its goals with television.

Bilton recalls a meeting with Steve Jobs in 2010. During the encounter, Jobs backtracked on his previous claim that TV was going to be a core business for Apple. Things have certainly changed!

Live blog: Apple’s streaming service gets the red-carpet treatment

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show time liveblog
Apple’s going full Hollywood at the event.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The first Apple event of 2019 is finally upon us and it promises to be unlike any other Apple keynote we’ve seen.

Services are set to be the star of the show as Apple busts out a new TV streaming app, news subscriptions and maybe even an Apple Pay credit card. Rumors have been ramping up leading to today’s “It’s show time” event, but there are still plenty of surprises waiting for fans. As always, Cult of Mac is live-blogging the whole dang thing with up-to-the-minute analysis on all the new stuff. Apple CEO Tim Cook takes the stage at 10 a.m. Pacific — most likely with a ton of Hollywood A-listers in tow — but we’re gonna get the party started a little before that.

Come join the fun:

Every Apple TV+ series and movie currently in the works [Updated]

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Apple spent more than $20 million advertising Apple TV+ last month
Here’s what’s on Apple TV+ right now
Photo: Apple

The star-studded Apple TV+ lineup is starting to look like it could become a legitimate contender to Netflix and HBO. After going on a Hollywood spending spree in the last eight months, Apple appears poised to make a huge push into original content.

Thanks to its new worldwide video executive team, many of the Apple TV series in development actually look really promising and diverse. From Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories to mysterious new sci-fi series See, Apple’s working on some shows everyone could enjoy.

Check out the full list of Apple TV+ series and movies currently in the pipeline.

Update: We’ve added all the shows we know about heading into Apple’s big March 25 event, where the company expected to finally unveil its TV streaming service.

Apple’s ‘Sports Ball’ team could change the way you watch games

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Eddy Cue had the best seats in the house to watch the Warrior's comeback.
Eddy Cue is one of the biggest sports fans at Apple.
Photo: SF Chronicle/Twitter

Apple appears to be planning to become a bigger influence in the world of watching sports as it prepares to announce its TV streaming service next week.

The iPhone-maker invited Sports Illustrated inside its geeky “Sports Ball Room” where a team of employees track pretty much every major and minor sports game in progress. While competitors like Facebook and Amazon are pursuing exclusive rights to air certain games, Apple is taking a different approach. It wants to curate all the must-see moments and alert subscribers when they’re happening.