User profile for user: Padmafrench
Padmafrench Author
User level: Level 1
16 points

Can anyone solve the mind-spinning mystery of how to rent movies from the Apple TV (no plus sign) app please?

Hi there - I'm in Australia, and am an Apple TV PLUS subscriber using Amazon Firestick, watching on late model LG Smart TV. I love Apple TV PLUS, but when browsing, I've found lots of movies I'm unable to watch because they're on the Apple TV app (the NON plus sign version) and I'm told I need to 'rent, buy or subscribe' - which I would (unwillingly) do if I could - but I simply cannot find any way of doing so. I'm quite non-plussed about this (pardon the pun). The only way I've gleaned from various searches, is to somehow rent the movie via my iPhone and then somehow stream it on the LG TV - which kind of makes sense and yet, kind of doesn't. Or maybe I've have to watch it on my iPhone? No, that couldn't be right. (Also - I don't want to sound like a streaming fool, but do we know why there are 2 Apple tv apps?). Anyway - thanks in advance to anyone who can demystify this for me!

FireTVStick4K(2021),

Posted on Jul 14, 2024 12:08 AM

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User profile for user: Urquhart1244
Urquhart1244
User level: Level 10
150,358 points

Posted on Jul 14, 2024 4:07 AM

I've found lots of movies I'm unable to watch … and I'm told I need to 'rent, buy or subscribe' - which I would (unwillingly) do if I could - but I simply cannot find any way of doing so.

The Store catalog is separate from the Apple TV+ catalog. The Store catalog is for buy or rent.

The issue here is that Apple currently doesn’t support financial transactions in their app on Fire TV devices (or on Android TV/​Google TV devices). Buying, renting, subscribing is supported through other Apple TV app platforms, though. When one buys on any of the other supported devices, then that content gets linked through the Apple ID to be available on any other of your devices, including Fire TV [footnote 2]. The How to Watch blurb was supposed to convey that. It is just that the transaction itself has to be done elsewhere.


somehow rent the movie via my iPhone and then somehow stream it on the LG TV

Purchases done on iPhone would appear in the Library in the Apple TV app on any of your devices, including Fire TV. There is no need to stream from iPhone to Fire TV. Once purchased, it is independent from other devices. Then only the app and account is needed.


do we know why there are 2 Apple tv apps?

A different kind of ‘road block’. The Apple TV+ app is available for device manufacturers and device suppliers that presumably prefer to not have a competing Store on their devices or selection of their devices, but do see value in adding exclusive content.


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User profile for user: Urquhart1244
Urquhart1244
User level: Level 10
150,358 points

Jul 14, 2024 4:07 AM in response to Padmafrench

I've found lots of movies I'm unable to watch … and I'm told I need to 'rent, buy or subscribe' - which I would (unwillingly) do if I could - but I simply cannot find any way of doing so.

The Store catalog is separate from the Apple TV+ catalog. The Store catalog is for buy or rent.

The issue here is that Apple currently doesn’t support financial transactions in their app on Fire TV devices (or on Android TV/​Google TV devices). Buying, renting, subscribing is supported through other Apple TV app platforms, though. When one buys on any of the other supported devices, then that content gets linked through the Apple ID to be available on any other of your devices, including Fire TV [footnote 2]. The How to Watch blurb was supposed to convey that. It is just that the transaction itself has to be done elsewhere.


somehow rent the movie via my iPhone and then somehow stream it on the LG TV

Purchases done on iPhone would appear in the Library in the Apple TV app on any of your devices, including Fire TV. There is no need to stream from iPhone to Fire TV. Once purchased, it is independent from other devices. Then only the app and account is needed.


do we know why there are 2 Apple tv apps?

A different kind of ‘road block’. The Apple TV+ app is available for device manufacturers and device suppliers that presumably prefer to not have a competing Store on their devices or selection of their devices, but do see value in adding exclusive content.


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User profile for user: Padmafrench
Padmafrench Author
User level: Level 1
16 points

Jul 14, 2024 4:45 AM in response to Urquhart1244

@Urquhart1244 - thank you very, very much for your speedy, thorough and in-depth, answer. My stupid brain will fully comprehend it after a couple more reads. It’s a shame it’s such a long and winding road to the virtual viewing, but it’s great to know WHY; and it’s a huge relief to know I’ll never have to shout at that ‘how to watch’ message again. Much appreciated.

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Can anyone solve the mind-spinning mystery of how to rent movies from the Apple TV (no plus sign) app please?

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