Facebook releases Facebook Video app on Apple TV

If somehow you have really great Facebook friends who share interesting videos, the new Facebook Video app on the Apple TV is for you and it’s available now. Facebook’s VP of Partnerships Dan Rose already announced that a Facebook app for your TV screen was on its way. But it looks like it’s coming sooner than expected.

Facebook has been trying hard to convince people that the social network can also become one of the leading platforms for online videos. And if the company wants to fight against YouTube, having an app on your TV seems like an important step.

The Apple TV app doesn’t let you browse your newsfeed or see your friends’ photos. It’s all about video playback and live streaming.

You can see videos shared by your friends, go to a specific page and watch their videos (I’d recommend TechCrunch’s page, I’ve heard they do nice videos).

Facebook also tries to recommend videos based on your interests. And the company knows a lot about you, so let’s see if these recommendations are any good. You can save videos on another device and watch them later on your TV.

And then, there’s live video. Facebook recommends popular live streams so that you can tune in from your TV. More interestingly, according to Reuters, Facebook is thinking about signing a deal with the MLB to stream one baseball game per week. This could be a sign that Facebook wants to ramp up exclusive live content, starting with sports.

The app is currently featured in the tvOS App Store. So you can head over there to install it on your Apple TV. Facebook Video also launched on Samsung TVs earlier this week. And I’m sure you can expect apps on other platforms soon.