YouTube is likely to stop supporting its dedicated Apple TV channel. It might mean that the third-generation upcoming Apple TVs would not be able to access the service provided by YouTube. The online video platform informed its users that the channel will be shut down effective from next month.
YouTube launched a statement that read, “Starting early March, the YouTube app will no longer be available on Apple TV (3rd generation). You can still watch YouTube on Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD, iPhone, or iPad. With AirPlay, you can also stream YouTube from your iOS device directly to any Apple TV (3rd generation or later).”
The warning videos are conveyed to Apple TV users before any of the videos play on the device. It is unclear as to what made YouTube reconsider its services, that too only for the third-generation Apple TVs. It would make accessing YouTube from Apple TVs difficult, but not entirely inaccessible. The users might have to take a long road to do that, but they will be able to access it.
YouTube mentioned that although native playback ends in March, users can still stream YouTube content to older Apple TV boxes over AirPlay. The inclusion of AirPlay into streaming YouTube content on Apple TVs most certainly means that the workaround requires either an iPhone or iPad. Needless to say, this is much less convenient than turning on Apple TV and navigating to a dedicated channel.
YouTube had also mentioned that current Apple TV devices, such as the Apple TV HD, and Apple TV 4K will not be affected by the change, and YouTube will continue to market an app for these newer devices.
Although YouTube might not have explained why the latest move is similar to the one made in 2015 when the platform stopped supporting the second-generation Apple TV units. That 2015 shutdown resulted from the then-new YouTube Data API, which broke compatibility with various streaming devices.
