Freeview to launch live streaming, catch-up app

From here:

Sounds too good to be true:

Freeview has confirmed it will launch a mobile app with Live streaming and Catch-up services from all Free to Air networks in November.

The world-first mobile app, branded Freeview FV, will include:

Live-streaming from all the free-to-air networks
Access to all catch-up TV
Browse and search
A free-to-air TV guide
Recommendations
The service will be available to all Australians through their mobile devices and measured through OzTAM’s video play measurement.

Just need an AppleTV app…

Or at least full AirPlay support. I regularly use 4oD which doesn’t have an ATV app, but its AirPlay functionality is basically perfect, even when serving ads.

However, I don’t see what the benefit of a combined app will be, considering that the networks all have their own catch-up apps. How much effort will they put into its success if they’ve spent all that money developing their separate data harvesters?

presumably without content that has separate streaming rights like AFL - otherwise loving the idea of one app in place of the 4 or 5 i have now!

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After little more than two years, Freeview have withdrawn their Apple TV app.

On Apple TV, you can now no longer get a tv guide or live stream SBS.

The Apple TV and Apple Watch haven’t exactly taken off as app platforms… I think I’ve lost more Apps than I’ve gained with both the Apple TV (Minecraft, Freeview) and Apple Watch (eBay) since buying into the respective platforms.

You can still use the SBS OnDemand app to livestream SBS

It’s a sad, sad day.

Care to explain how you can livestream directly from the SBS OnDemand Apple TV app?

Oops I was wrong.
I followed the link in your post to the Freeview announcement and read the following:
“ All free-to-air live streaming and catch up content will still available through each of the individual broadcaster apps on Apple TV.”
I should have checked. Did the ATV Freeview app allow live streaming?

Yes but it seem to be dependent on region area on who would be available.

I’m in Victoria although as far as I know the Apple TV apps behave the same throughout all of Australia.

SBS On Demand - live channels/streaming not available*
ABC iView - logging in and thus personal watchlist not available
*was available via FreeView Apple TV app

Of course AirPlay can overcome both shortfalls but that is not something we should have to resort to, the Apple TV apps for the three commercial tv stations have both live tv and favourites/watchlist available.

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ABC has finally added Watchlist to the Apple TV, last thing we need now is for SBS to add live streaming.

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SBS has quietly added live streaming to their apps, look for the “Live now on SBS” shelf in the Home section.