The YouTube app on older Apple TV models has officially been discontinued as of today. If you have a third-generation device (the 2012-era model that predated the modern tvOS-based set-top boxes), you’ll only be able to stream YouTube through an iOS device using AirPlay starting today, as noted by 9to5Mac.
While the news has been known for a while, the change highlights a key issue with the Apple TV ecosystem. Namely, that it’s been nearly three and a half years since Apple has last updated its streaming box hardware.
If you own the old model with the now defunct YouTube app, your only Apple-made option is the Apple TV 4K, released in September 2017. That’s particularly problematic, given that the Apple TV 4K still starts at $179 (with…
