New Features in tvOS 9.2 Beta 3: Dictation Support and App Store Siri Search

[MacRumors]

Throughout the tvOS 9.2 beta testing process, Apple has been steadily adding new features. Today's third beta introduced a pair of new features that are quite useful: dictation and App Store search for Siri. We've made a quick video that shows off the new features and how they work on the fourth-generation Apple TV.

With the new dictation option, it's now possible for Apple TV owners to dictate text and spell user names and passwords rather than typing them. After installing tvOS 9.2 beta 3, users are prompted to enable or disable dictation.

After dictation is enabled, the tvOS search bar alternates between a blank search field and an option to hold down the Siri button on the remote to dictate text. While speaking into the remote, a live levels meter is displayed on the screen so you can be sure the dictation feature is activated.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

The first version of tvOS had few options for entering text, requiring users to slowly type in passwords and user names with the on-screen text entry box with the Siri remote. Since then, Apple has added support for the Apple Remote app, with tvOS 9.2 bringing support for dictation and Bluetooth keyboards.

App Store search for Siri is the second new feature in today's beta. With the new Siri support, voice-based searches can be used to find specific apps or app categories, such as games, in the App Store. The feature greatly enhances the process of finding apps on the fourth-generation Apple TV, which was previously limited to text-based searches.

Along with App Store search for Siri, Bluetooth keyboard support, and dictation, tvOS 9.2 includes support for iCloud Photo Library and Live Photos, and allows users to group apps into folders on the Home screen like on iOS devices. It also includes a new look for the App Switcher interface, and brings MapKit for developers.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

​

tvOS 9.2 is currently available only to developers, but it should see a public release in the spring likely alongside iOS 9.3, OS X 10.11.4, and watchOS 2.2.

Article Link: New Features in tvOS 9.2 Beta 3: Dictation Support and App Store Siri Search

 

[xraytech]

FINALLY!!!

Bluetooth keyboard support!!!

 

[pgiguere1]

Does dictation work in any app's text input?

E.g. Do YouTube/Netflix automatically have dictation enabled in their search bar by this update too?

 

[amirite]

I don't have a new Apple TV but these all seem like extremely basic features that should be there from the start. What's happening at Apple these days?

 

[xraytech]

Does dictation work in any app's text input?

E.g. Do YouTube/Netflix automatically have dictation enabled in their search bar by this update too?

Not sure...

 

[Cayden]

This better be supported with an API that can be applied to all apps. I'd love to be able to speak all text in

 

[Aluminum213]

Finally

 

[cycomiko]

what new languages are being supported?>

 

[Juicy Box]

This will be a great addition. It seems like Apple released an unfinished product with the ATV4.

Apple called it revolutionary in their press release, which is a big stretch. But maybe with some of these updates, it is getting closer.

 

[MacAddict1978]

YAY! Excited for this update. Was a real let down Siri couldn't search the app store and dictation is a great add on feature. ATV just keeps getting better. Hopefully developers will bring some worthwhile apps soon...
[doublepost=1454987678][/doublepost]

I don't have a new Apple TV but these all seem like extremely basic features that should be there from the start. What's happening at Apple these days?

Agreed. They hide behind "TV OS" as being "New" yet it's code only differs from IOS by like 10% so it's not a stretch. Being IOS supports these things natively already, it's really ridiculous these things didn't launch. But then again... look how long it took them to put copy and paste and MMS in the iPhone. It's what they do. I'm just glad they aren't making us wait years for these enhancements considering we waited years for a ATV update that's really not a huge stretch from 2012.

 

[rusty2192]

I finally ordered mine tonight. The only thing left that I would like to see is Siri search of local iTunes content. Or the API opened up so that plex could do the same.

 

[WigWag Workshop]

Really enjoying these new updates, looking forward to seeing what the Devs do with these new features once released

 

[camarobh]

Let me know when Siri can search my local iTunes library, and they organize the TV shows in my library by Show, season, episode instead of the awful way it is today.

 

[RaiderNick4]

is there a way for siri to search and play movies you have on your computer/itunes?

How do you request a feature to apple?

 

[2010mini]

is there a way for siri to search and play movies you have on your computer/itunes?

How do you request a feature to apple?

No. Siri only searches the device its on and the web. You can't use Siri on one device to search content on another on your local network.

 

[macfacts]

is there a way for siri to search and play movies you have on your computer/itunes?

How do you request a feature to apple?

Patent 6,847,959 Universal search. This patent would allow that feature. Apple owns this patent. So is Apple a patent troll for not using this feature in Siri search on appletv?

 

[Altis]

Just make the background dark. White is an awful background color for a TV application.

 

[iChrist]

This will be a great addition. It seems like Apple released an unfinished product with the ATV4.

Apple called it revolutionary in their press release, which is a big stretch. But maybe with some of these updates, it is getting closer.

It will get closer when the update includes 4K support instead of fuzz 1080. Apple beta product like the watch.

 

[Carlanga]

I don't have a new Apple TV but these all seem like extremely basic features that should be there from the start. What's happening at Apple these days?

nothing new, remember copy/paste in iOS? or any other of the things they take their time to release?

 

[bpeeps]

It will get closer when the update includes 4K support instead of fuzz 1080. Apple beta product like the watch.

Fuzz? This is the most extra.

 

[smudgeface]

I'm waiting for an API that lets developers access the mic in the Siri remote directly. I have some great ideas that are pretty much useless without this. Some other developers (e.g. Smule with it's karaoke app) have gotten around this by allowing you to use your iPhone as a mic, but it's a horrible and unnecessary hack when there's a perfectly good mic right in the remote!

 

[George Bailey]

I don't have a new Apple TV but these all seem like extremely basic features that should be there from the start. What's happening at Apple these days?

Not sure what you mean by "these days", but that's normal pretty much anywhere for anything new. The original OS X barely functioned at all. The original iPhone OS didn't even support copy and paste. That seems like a "basic feature that should be there from the start".

 

[JBaker122586]

So that's why my Apple TV wouldn't find an app for me the other day when I tried to search with Siri... Seems like such a basic feature that I just assumed it was there, and thought I had done something wrong.

 

[2010mini]

Just make the background dark. White is an awful background color for a TV application.

How long are you looking at the background? Isn't 99.9% of the time you have an app open? Navigating from one app to another takes like what?... Seconds???

 

[bluespark]

How long are you looking at the background? Isn't 99.9% of the time you have an app open? Navigating from one app to another takes like what?... Seconds???

So? Shouldn't that time be spent in an optimal environment? Also, plenty of the white interface elements are in apps as well.