Just a week after Apple added new channels to the Apple TV in several countries across the world, the tiny black set-top box got a new content once again, this time in Australia, Japan, UK, Ireland and Scandinavia.

Here’s a complete list:

• Viaplay (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden): live sports, movies, TV series, children’s programs;
• Stan (Australia): streaming service offering subscription to unlimited viewing of selected movies and TV shows;
• WWE Wrestling Network (UK, Ireland): WWE Network brings all their twelve Pay-per-view streams including WrestleMania and WCW, the complete home video library, selected weekly matches and some specials; available for unlimited 24×7 streaming;
• Bandai (Japan): a local, subscription-based network offering localized shows and anime.

All channels are available as an automatic over-the-air update, no software update required.

Also read: Apple TV 4 to be introduced in June

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As we reported yesterday, Apple is currently working on a streaming service, similar to the Sling TV and Sony Veu, which will let you pay a premium ($30-$40) per month and watch selected bundles of channels. However, many of us were disappointed that NBC channels were not present in the reported feature Apple’s online service offering. But according to new reports, NBC still wants a piece of the Apple TV user base as they are planning to release a standalone NBC app later this year.

According to 9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman, a reliable source from NBC informed that they are currently working on an Apple TV channel, which works similar to other existing ones, and is scheduled to come out in the second half of 2015. The image below, captured from an internal NBC presentation for employees, depicts their 2015 roadmap and Apple TV can be seen on the right top.

But there is a catch. Like many of the existing channels, you’ll need to sign in with a supported cable provider account to gain access to all the NBC goodness. So if you’re planning to cut the cord completely when Apple launches their streaming service, be prepared to lose NBC.

According to the source, NBC Universal is still in negotiations with local affiliate networks across the United States to ensure that cable box customers will be able to verify themselves across the country on the Apple TV.

The NBC Apple TV app will allow customers to “tune into local news and syndicated programming” at no additional cost, according to the source.

In addition to Apple TV, the NBC channels will also make an appearance on the Amazon Fire TV and XBox during the same period and their iOS app will gain Chromecast support.

On a similar note, HBO NOW streaming service will be available on the Apple TV in April and a new thinner Apple TV 4 with fresh interface and standalone AppStore is expected later this year.

Add the Apple streaming service and NBC channel to the mix, and Apple TV fans have a wonderful rest of the year ahead to look forward to.

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After a short gap, the Apple TV home screen is dynamic again thanks to a set of additions made yesterday. The YouTube app has been completely redesigned and four new channels, namely Scene, UFC TV, Fusion and DailyMotion are now available for streaming on your set-top box.

The YouTube channel finally got the much needed revamp and now looks more like the counterpart on other streaming devices like Xbox and PS4. The boring YT-curated list browsing on Apple TV is no more and we have a new reddish and material designistic channel in its place.

Also now we have access to all contents on YouTube like blogs and music videos and hence, are not limited to just what YouTube features. But this comes with a caveat – the ads. Just like with iOS, you’ll now have to sit through preroll ads in every few videos.

Talking about the other channels, Scene – as its name suggests – brings video shorts from a variety of media sources, including Forbes, PBS, Epicurious, The Verge, Conde’s Magazines, The New Yorker, The Weather Channel and ABC News. All the contents on Scene are available to stream free of cost.

UFC TV brings free, pay-per-view as well as subscription based streams of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The PPV rates and availability vary but the subscriptional Fight Pass will set you back $54.99 for 6 months or $99 per year.

Fusion is a joint venture between Disney-ABC and Univision, offering a variety of content including news, pop culture, and lifestyle.

And you all know DailyMotion, the YouTube-like free video service.

As usual, it is reported that all these changes are available now on your Apple TV without the need of any updates. However for me, though the four new channels showed up on their own, I had to update the Apple TV to glance the new YouTube channel. So you guys might want to try that if you have any difficulties with the YT app.

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Apple TV owners in the US have now access to three more channels from their tiny back boxes as Apple has added A+E Network owned A&E, Lifetime and History Channel to its already existing array of 40+ channels.

These channels require you to sign into existing cable subscription accounts to access streaming and are expected to put up the latest episodes of their shows the day after they’re aired on cable. However, many users report to have access to the latest episodes even without linking their cable operators – whether it’s a glitch or a feature, still stands to be seen.

Also, many will be disappointed to know that these channels only support Verizon FiOS, Optimum and DirecTV, as of now; more providers are coming soon, though.

So, if your location and provider permits, you’ll be able to stream these popular programs right on your Apple TV, as iMore explains

“Each channel contains popular programming from each cable television channel, including clips and full episodes of TV shows. Programs like Bates Motel and Duck Dynasty are available from A&E, while History has programming from both the History Channel and H2, like Vikings, Pawn Stars and Ancient Aliens. Lifetime’s available programs include Dance Moms, Preachers’ Daughters and Devious Maids.”

In case you’re not interested in the new channels, these would be just junk icons on your screen. If you’re planning to tidy up the interface by hiding some channels, you can follow our guide on how to easily hide unwanted channel icons on Apple TV.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Yet another channel lands on the Apple TV: mainly dedicated to college basketball, ACC Sports allows to access the ACC Digital Network – the ACC’s “official home for game highlights and insider programming.” The new channel is only available in the US.

Through Apple TV, fans will be able to go directly to their favorite school content and have all of their game highlights, school features and classic tournament games on demand in the comfort of their living room.

The ACC Digital Network will entertain fans with hundreds of videos to choose from including in-depth coverage and analysis updated daily.

As a bonus to college sports fans everywhere and exclusive to Apple TV, “ACC Sports” will feature access to Campus Insiders, the leading digital college sports network covering all major collegiate conferences. As part of its March programming, Campus Insiders will cover the NCAA basketball post-season from start to finish with daily reports from top tier talent including Bonnie Bernstein, Seth Davis and more than 100 insiders reporting from campuses across the nation. As part of the launch, Campus Insiders will publish more than 70 videos today including team previews of all 68 teams selected for the tournament.

If you’re not a fan of college basketball, you can easily hide the ACC Sports icon from the home menu by following this simple tutorial.

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The Beatles have been all over the news last week, thanks to the 50 year milestone (Feb 9) of the iconic pop band’s first performance in The Ed Sullivan Show. Looks like Apple is celebrating and they’re doing it in a big, never-before way. They have launched a new channel on the Apple TV simply named, The Beatles.

The icon of the Fab Four gives way to a short profile of Beatles in The Ed Sullivan Show and a free-to-stream video of their historic debut show. The show is about 14 minutes in duration and of course, black & white and boxed in (winking)! In addition, the channel gives links to all US albums of  The Beatles which are available digitally for the first time ever. Users confirm that all the content is available on Mac, PC and iOS devices also via iTunes.

Apple has always had a soft corner towards The Beatles may be because it was Jobs’ favorite band. He mentioned them to be his role models in working as a team and frequently featured their iTunes content. Apple even indulged in negotiations for over a decade to get the rights to their content. But our friends at Facebook seem to think that the company is too much biased to a single band which is not healthy for one like Apple. Non-fans of the genre as well as other reputed bands may be a little offended too.

Keeping that aside and looking into Apple TV, we see that a new trend is developing in the channels. The profile mentions that the debut performance will be available only for a limited time. What happens after that? Will it remain as a channel promoting iTunes links only or vanish like the Keynote videos? We’ve never seen Apple doing either of these, just for promoting or featuring content. So are they introducing new temporary featured iTunes content on Apple TV, in addition to subscription-based/pay-per-view channels? Only time will tell.

And on the boiling pan, we already have the recent rumors of new iOS based Apple TV and in-built Apple TV App Store. Apple’s new Content Delivery Network and the ever-rising plea of users for a less cluttered interface are also among the ingredients.

We’re sure Apple is cooking something special and we can’t wait to see if that’d be delicious. While we look forward to the imminent release of Apple TV 4, you can check out our awesome article on Where is Apple taking the TV in 2014?

Stick around here at Apple TV Hacks (Facebook, Twitter, Google+) for more coverage on the new Apple TV.

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Apple has yet again added new content to already quite long list of channels available on the Apple TV. Among the newcomers is Bloomberg, Sony’s Crackle service, Watch ABC and Korean channel KORTV.

Bloomberg on Apple TV gives us an extensive library of on-demand programming (including digital originals), a live 24/7 stream of Bloomberg Television and a live stream of select live events. The on-demand programming includes popular shows like Bloomberg West, Charlie Rose, Brink, Bloomberg Surveillance, Game Changers and many more.

WATCH ABC lets you enjoy your favorite ABC shows on demand and live in select cities. It’s free with your subscription through participating cable and satellite providers.

Korean channel KORTV provides live Korean TV and offers a collection of free channels as well as premium channels available for a monthly subscription.

Sony’s Crackle service lets you watch hundreds of movies, thousands of TV episodes (including Seinfeld and The Shield), and an extensive collection of anime — all free.

With so many channels on your Apple TV’s main menu, you may want to learn how to hide icons you don’t use.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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