Apple TV enhancements: Apple didn’t bring any major Apple TV news to its Worldwide Developers Conference this week, but it did announce some nice new features coming this fall. Most notably, the Apple TV 4K will support picture-in-picture system-wide, so you can keep an eye on sports (if anyone’s playing) while watching Netflix, or watch your favorite show alongside a workout video from YouTube. No other streaming device offers this feature today.
Before you get too excited, though, keep in mind that on iPads today, you can’t play two videos from one app at the same time. If it works the same way on Apple TV, you won’t be able to use picture-in-picture to watch two channels simultaneously in apps like YouTube TV and Sling TV. (All the most reason to miss PlayStation Vue, which offered this very feature.)
Apple’s also adding 4K support for YouTube, the ability to send personal 4K videos to the TV via AirPlay, private listening through two pairs of AirPods at once, and the ability to view HomeKit camera feeds with a voice command. Expect these features sometime in the fall with tvOS 14.
AT&T Watch TV winds down: AT&T is killing off its Watch TV service, which offered CNN and a few dozen entertainment channels for $15 per month. Existing subscribers can still access the service, but it’s no longer taking new sign-ups.
Watch TV always seemed more like a PR play than an actual product, existing mainly to help sell AT&T’s 2018 acquisition of Time Warner. It never ended up getting Roku support, and last October, AT&T stopped offering the service for free with certain unlimited wireless plans. With AT&T having achieved its merger goals, and putting more of its energy these days into HBO Max, it has little reason to keep the service around. Philo, which offers a big bundle of non-sports channels for $20 per month, is now the closest equivalent.
FuboTV’s Disney deal: FuboTV has addressed the biggest hole in its sports-centric lineup by making a deal with Disney. The live TV streaming service, which currently costs $55 per month, will be getting ESPN channels, Disney channels, ABC, Freeform, the SEC Network, and the ACC Network this summer. The deal also restores FX channels and National Geographic, which Disney pulled from Fubo in January.
Given that Disney owns the most expensive channels on cable, I’m going to assume a price hike is coming, but the additions make sense given everything else FuboTV offers. As of now, it’s the only live TV streaming service with the NFL Network and NFL Redzone, and it also carries a lot of other sports channels such as MLB Network, NHL Network, NBA TV, and BeIN Sports, so it has a chance to become the most complete sports package without cable. (One notable exception: Regional Fox Sports networks are still absent.) The only question is whether enough sports will be back in action to make it all worthwhile. |
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Did you know that when you get an email, the sender might know whether you’ve opened it or not?
It’s true. Thanks to widely-available tracking tools, emailers can tell how many times you opened an email, your general whereabouts when you opened it, and the exact links you clicked on. This is common practice among newsletters and marketing messages, but even some of your personal contacts might be using email trackers as well.
The practice of email snooping—and what you can do about it—is one of many topics I tackle in this week’s Advisorator, my other newsletter dedicated to tech topics outside of cord-cutting. Every Tuesday, subscribers get a newsletter full of practical advice on phones, computers, apps, and more. Sign up for a free trial, and I’ll send the latest issue your way—no tracking involved. |
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Thanks for reading! |
If you have any cord-cutting questions, comments, or feedback on this newsletter, I’ll do my best to answer. Just reply to this email to get in touch. And please, stay safe out there as coronavirus cases tick upwards.
Until next week,
Jared |
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