iOS 1.4.8 and tvOS 1.5.2 are here. This is the biggest overhaul since the apps were first released in 2018. The changes go deeper than you might initially think.
Netstream TV is gradually bringing all platforms up to the same standard. It started with First Screen, then WebTV. Now it's iOS and Apple TV's turn. Both apps now follow the same design principles as First Screen. Logos, colors, icons, and backgrounds have been standardized. Both apps now support Light and Dark Mode and, for the first time, have their own dedicated home screen. And there are more changes under the hood than meet the eye.
From old to new: aagof patience
Eight years of app development leave their mark. The app has been continuously improved, but Apple's platform has fundamentally changed during this time. New frameworks, new design paradigms, new possibilities. At some point, incremental adjustments are no longer sufficient, and theagarises whether a complete rebuild wouldn't be the more honest approach.
We've been at this point more than once. A complete rebuild would have simplified many things. But it would also have meant taking a stable, productively used app off the market. So we opted for a different approach: a gradual, screen-by-screen rollout without interrupting ongoing operations. What you see is the new design, the light and dark modes, and the home screen. What you don't see is just as important.
One app per platform, not one app for all
We could have built a uniform interface for all devices. We didn't. That was a conscious decision.
The iPhone and iPad will get the native tab bar and support Liquid Glass on iOS 26. Apple TV will get a side menu, similar to the one on the first screen. Each platform will get what feels right there.
That's more work. But an app that behaves on every device the way you'd expect from the platform is a better app. Consistency across all Netstream TV platforms, yes, but not at the expense of the platform-specific experience.
{ dev_mode: true }
With Xcode 18, the new tvOS 17 Min Target, and Swift 6 Strict Concurrency, Apple has ushered in a new era of development. For us, this wasn't a limitation, but rather a welcome opportunity to place the code on a more solid foundation.
Two major structural changes are underway: ReSwift is being gradually replaced by Combine and ObservableObject , screen by screen. Storyboards are giving way to programmatic UI, also gradually.
A particular challenge remains the hardware diversity: Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K are both in use, but differ significantly in performance. Every decision in the code must work on both devices. This sounds like a minor detail, but in practice it's a constant balancing act.
To be continued
This wasn't the end, but the foundation. The apps' functionality will be expanded gradually. As always, you can find the latest information in the changelog netstreamat.
