When Apple initially announced the fourth-generation Apple TV, the company made a point to focus on a new feature called universal search. This capability allows users to perform a single search using Siri or the Search app and see content across multiple channels. Until today, the feature was limited to Netflix, iTunes, Hulu, PBS, PBS Kids, Showtime, Showtime Anytime, HBO Go and HBO Now, but now, three new apps have gained support for universal search: Nat Geo TV, Fox Now, and FXNow.
With support for universal search having been added to these apps, their content will now appear in search results done using the Siri or Search app interfaces. For instance, if you say “Siri, show me The Simpsons,” Fox Now and FXNow are now listed as options, in addition to Hulu and iTunes. The same goes for saying, “Siri, show me Grandfathered.” Likewise, asking Siri to show you Drugs Inc. will take you to a results page with Hulu, iTunes, and Nat Geo TV listed as sources.
Apple has a webpage dedicated to listing all of the apps that support universal search, but it has yet to be updated to list the additions of Nat Geo, Fox Now, and FXNow. Last October, Tim Cook noted that Apple is working to expand support for universal search beyond its initial key partners to integrate universal search into their respective services.
You can try out universal search on Apple TV by either pressing the Siri button on the Siri Remote or by using the dedicated Search app in tvOS. As time progresses, we should expect to see the feature rollout to even more apps and providers.
