If you watch lots of TV, chances are you’ve got a wish list of shows you want to watch next, and users of the official Apple TV app had been able to enjoy that functionality for programs on Apple’s streaming service – until the company killed off the feature with absolutely no warning.
Anyone who had saved a wish list of Apple TV shows on iOS, iPadOS or tvOS has had their list removed from all of their devices. The change has left users up in arms, with many complaining that it's a disastrous move on Apple’s part.
The change came about in the iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2 and tvOS 17.2 updates. These removed the option to purchase TV shows from the iTunes Store app, with users now being redirected to buy shows in the Apple TV app. Yet, for some unknown reason, the updates also removed wish lists entirely, without any warning of what was about to happen.
It’s unknown whether this was intentional on Apple’s part or simply a bug. What’s more, we don’t know if Apple has the ability to restore these lists to users’ devices, or, if it does, whether it intends to do so.
Gone for good?
The move has left users disappointed, to say the least. As one commenter on Reddit said, “I’ve looked on iOS, and my wish list has completely disappeared. I’ve been building it for about 10 years, and it had a little over 400 movies on it. I wish Apple would’ve thought this through more before just springing such a drastic change on us.”
In iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2 and tvOS 17.2, there's a + button that you can use to save content to watch later. However, this simply adds the show to your Up Next queue, which will play it after your current content has finished. It does not add it to any kind of wish list.
Will wish lists make a comeback, given the hordes of people complaining about the change? We can’t be sure, but MacRumors isn’t convinced. The outlet noted that Apple removed App Store wish lists in iOS 11 – prompting a large number of angry user objections – but that feature never came back.
If you want an app that can save wish lists for future viewing, there are alternatives, including Sofa and Letterboxd. These apps won’t bring wish lists back to your Apple TV app, but at least they give you a good way to manage your media after Apple’s latest move.
