Apple adds ABC, Bloomberg and Crackle apps to Apple TV

By Mike Flacy Published December 11, 2013

Apple TV Television — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Detailed on Apple’s information page related to Apple TV content, new applications that can access ABC, Bloomberg, Crackle and Korea’s KORTV have been added to the streaming set-top box. While still significantly lagging behind Roku in regards to an overall number of available apps, this brings a total of 27 third-party content apps to the Apple TV platform. Popular apps within that collection include Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, HBO GO, the Disney Channel and a variety of sports applications that include Watch ESPN, MLB.TV, NHL GameCenter and NBA League Pass.

If Apple TV owners authenticate their premium cable or satellite subscription on the set-top box, users in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia can watch live ABC television using the Watch ABC app which includes local programming. That could be useful for a television in another area of the home that currently doesn’t have cable access, but is within the radius of the home’s Wi-Fi network. The Watch ABC application also provides access to on-demand ABC shows like Modern Family as well.

bloomberg-on-apple-tv — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Bloomberg application provides access to a 24-hour news channel and Apple has allowed the organization to develop new forms of news notifications according to 9to5Mac. These notifications would appear on Apple mobile devices as well as the Apple TV, assuming the user has connected mulitple devices to a single Bloomberg account. Hypothetically, a breaking news alert could appear on a user’s iPad, thus triggering them to flip on the Apple TV to check out the live news coverage within the Bloomberg app.

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Crackle is a Sony-owned app that provides access to specific Sony Pictures movies and television shows. However, it’s commonly found on most streaming video devices. KORTV offers access to ten free Korean channels in addition to seven premium channels that are priced between $1.99 to $3.99 monthly.

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