Apple to phase out iTunes Movies and TV Shows apps on Apple TV with tvOS 17.2 update

Apple plans to discontinue iTunes Movies and iTunes TV Shows apps on the Apple TV box with the upcoming launch of tvOS 17.2. Users have been notified of this change through a warning message in the tvOS 17.2 beta version. Instead, users will be directed to the Apple TV app for managing purchases and renting or buying content.

The Apple TV app has been updated in tvOS 17.2 to accommodate this change, introducing new features such as genre filtering in the purchased tab and adding box sets to the store listings, along with a new sidebar design which includes a dedicated store and purchases tab for easier navigation. While the home screen tiles for iTunes Movies and TV Shows are still present in tvOS 17.2, they now redirect users to the store and purchases tabs in the TV app, suggesting these icons may be removed in the future.

The iTunes Store app on iPhone and iPad remains operational for movie and TV show purchases, but may be transitioned to the TV app in the future. The public release of tvOS 17.2 is anticipated before the holidays.