Facebook Watch, Meta’s app for watching Facebook videos and livestreams on TVs, seems to have stopped working on Apple TV, as reported by several outlets.
According to 9to5Mac’s Sunday report, users trying to access Facebook Watch via Apple’s tvOS get an error message saying the app “is no longer available” and that the videos can be watched on Facebook’s website. As tvOS lacks a web browser, this means Apple TV users can only access Facebook videos by using AirPlay from another device.
It’s currently unclear if Meta has discontinued Facebook Watch support for Apple TV, or if the app is just experiencing a technical bug. As of this posting, Meta still lists Apple TV (fourth generation or newer) as a supported platform for Facebook Watch.
Both 9to5Mac and TechRadar reported the app is still available for download on the tvOS App Store. A MacRumors forum thread pointed out while Meta’s latest Facebook Watch update includes a new logo, the error message persists for Apple TV users.
An Apple representative told TechRadar only Meta will know why the app is available. But 9to5Mac notes Facebook Watch is still working on smart TVs other than tvOS.
Since its launch in 2017, Facebook Watch has specialized in personalized video recommendations for Facebook users, categorizing content depending on trending social media topics. Facebook reported in September 2020 that Facebook Watch had more than 1.25 billion monthly visitors.
Since that report, Facebook has shifted gears from purely social media towards an augmented reality (AR) business – rebranding its name to Meta in the process, with increased attention on metaverse ambitions.
Financially, the long-term outcome of those ambitions is uncertain. Meta’s Reality Labs – its AR/VR business – lost about $10.2 billion in revenue in 2021. Meta also indicated in its Q1 2022 earnings report that it expects Reality Labs (along with Meta's Family of Apps segment) to drive expense growth this year.
Whether the loss of the Facebook Watch app will affect Apple TV viewership is also to be determined. Apple noted in March it had a record quarter for video services revenue – without disclosing figures for video products like Apple TV+.
In further news related to Apple TV, an analyst in May predicted Apple might release a new, cheaper version of its Apple TV set top box later this year.