tvOS 26.4 Removes iTunes Movies and TV Shows Apps

The tvOS 26.4 update removes the standalone iTunes Movies and iTunes TV Shows apps from the Apple TV 4K, consolidating purchases into the TV app.
This change represents a significant shift in Apple's media storefront strategy on its set-top box, moving from dedicated store apps to a unified hub.
Functionality for buying and renting movies and TV shows remains intact but is now accessed exclusively through the TV app's storefront.

Here's a software update that actually changes how you use the box. The new tvOS 26.4 beta does more than tweak performance, it deletes two apps that have been on the Apple TV for over a decade. The iTunes Movies and iTunes TV Shows apps are gone. Your purchases aren't, but the path you take to find them is getting a major reroute. This is Apple deciding, once and for all, where you should go for video on its platform.

tvOS 26.4 Key Specifications

Specification	Details
Update Version	tvOS 26.4 (Beta 1)
Affected Device	Apple TV 4K
Removed Applications	iTunes Movies app, iTunes TV Shows app
Primary Functional Change	Consolidation of movie/TV show purchases & rentals into the TV app
Status	In public beta as of late February 2026

Goodbye to Two Icons

According to reports from 9to5Mac, MacRumors, and AppleInsider, tvOS 26.4 simply erases the old iTunes store apps. They won't be tucked away in the App Library, they're removed from the system. The interface gets cleaner, sure. But it also loses a direct line to the video store that's been there since the beginning. For anyone who regularly tapped those distinct icons to rent a movie, that muscle memory is now useless. The action of buying a film moves from a dedicated store to a tab inside another app.

Before and After: tvOS 26.3 vs. 26.4

Think about the old layout. You had three main hubs: the TV app for subscriptions and browsing, plus the separate iTunes Movies and TV Shows stores. That's the spec sheet for every version before this one. tvOS 26.4 pares that down to just the TV app. It's a clear design shift from a model with specialized stores to one where everything is a category inside a single portal. Movies and shows become filters, not destinations.

How You Buy Stuff Now

You can still buy and rent everything. That hasn't changed. But the workflow is completely different, as confirmed by MacRumors and AppleInsider. Now you open the TV app and head to its "Store" tab. For a casual viewer who already lives in the TV app, this might feel simpler. For the person who knows they want to browse the latest 4K rentals, it's an extra step. More importantly, it's a step that takes you through an app whose main job is to promote Apple TV+ and your other streaming subscriptions. Your intent to purchase is now surrounded by ads for shows you might stream instead.

Finding What You Already Own

What about your library? All those purchased movies and TV episodes are now supposed to live inside the TV app too, in a "Purchased" section. On paper, having one app for everything sounds neat. In practice, it depends entirely on Apple's software design. The old apps were straightforward libraries for your stuff. The new system has to juggle your purchases, your subscriptions, and Apple's promotional content all at once. It could be more convenient, or it could bury the things you paid for under a pile of algorithmic recommendations.

Why Apple Is Doing This

Look at the competition. Roku, Amazon, and Google's platforms have always used a single, unified store. You search for a title and see all your options to buy, rent, or stream in one place. By killing its dedicated iTunes apps, Apple is finally falling in line with that industry standard. It's also the final nail for the "iTunes" brand on your television. That name is officially retired.

But Apple isn't just copying Roku. The TV app has always had a different goal. It wants to be the center of your video life, and it aggressively pushes Apple TV+ originals. This change forces anyone who wants to buy a movie to also walk through Apple's subscription showroom. Your transactional video habit now supports Apple's broader ecosystem play. It's a smart business move, even if it frustrates some users who prefer a simpler store.

The Big Unanswered Question

The spec sheet is clear: two apps are deleted, one app gets all the power. What we don't know is how well this all works. Will your existing library transfer without a hitch? Is the new store tab as fast and easy to browse as the old dedicated apps were? And how many people will just stare at their Home Screen, wondering where their movie app went? The success of this whole plan hinges on the TV app's execution, something no beta changelog can guarantee.

In the end, this is Apple streamlining its platform to match the rest of the market while tightening its grip on your attention. It's a shift from a hardware company that also sold movies to a services company that also sells hardware. The box is the same, but what it wants from you has changed.