tvOS 12 Wishlist: Features MacRumors Readers Want to See Added to the Apple TV in 2018

[MacRumors]

At the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple will introduce new versions of iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS, and for those latter two updates, we have no idea what to expect.

Historically, Apple hasn't introduced major changes in its tvOS updates, but the operating system is still new and there could be some larger scale changes in the works for 2018. We've asked MacRumors readers what they'd most like to see in tvOS 12, and this is what they had to say.

[*]Atmos support - Apple promised to add Dolby Atmos support to the Apple TV, and has yet to do so. tvOS 12 would be the ideal time to do so, and it's certainly a feature many MacRumors readers want.
[*]Audio passthrough - Along those same lines, MacRumors readers would also like to see support for digital audio passthrough.
[*]Picture-in-picture - A classic feature on a lot of television sets, picture-in-picture mode is not supported on the Apple TV. MacRumors reader Bbednarz would like to see picture-in-picture added for watching multiple shows, watching a show while using an app, and more.
[*]Safari - Apple isn't likely to add Safari to the Apple TV to allow for web browsing, but it's still a feature at least one MacRumors reader would like to see available as an option.
[*]Open screensavers - The Apple TV can only display screensavers that are sourced from Apple, but it would be nice to be able to add non-Apple screensaver options if desired.
[*]tvOS App Store access via computer - MacRumors reader HobeSoundDarryl has a long wishlist for tvOS 12, including a suggestion for an option to browse through tvOS apps on a Mac or PC to make it easier to discover tvOS apps.
[*]iCloud playlists for movies and TV shows - You can create playlists for Apple Music, and Leon1988 would like to see that same functionality made available for television shows and movies on the Apple TV.
[*]Multi-user support - Each Apple TV is limited to a single iCloud and iTunes account, but multi-user support, as suggested by MacRumors reader The 12th Man, would make it easier for different family members to have access to their favorite apps and channels and suggestions through the TV app without having to mix content.

What do you want to see added to the Apple TV with tvOS 12? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to check out the full tvOS 12 wishlist thread.

Article Link: tvOS 12 Wishlist: Features MacRumors Readers Want to See Added to the Apple TV in 2018

 

[Hermes Monster]

I’d just like to be able to organise my film library - folders, and box sets as they appear on iTunes

 

[sputnikv]

I would love for them to be a bit more liberal with controller support. Would be great to use a decent Bluetooth controller, such as Nintendo's or Sony's without having to jailbreak.
[doublepost=1527196563][/doublepost]Also, much of the TV OS' interface is understandably focused on selling new content. I would appreciate a redesign that focused more on a user's subscribed or owned content. One tab for "library" and a handful of others for "new", "top", "recommended" and the like doesn't sit well with me.

 

[TheOtherJamesGosnell]

I'd also like the TV to persistently connect to my HomePod.

 

[brianrmurray]

Absolutely Atmos all the way. I will be very sad if it’s not talked about.

 

[Juicy Box]

Safari - Apple isn't likely to add Safari to the Apple TV to allow for web browsing, but it's still a feature at least one MacRumors reader would like to see available as an option.

I wish, but I don't think it will happen.

Multi-user support - Each Apple TV is limited to a single iCloud and iTunes account, but multi-user support, as suggested by MacRumors reader The 12th Man, would make it easier for different family members to have access to their favorite apps and channels and suggestions through the TV app without having to mix content.

This is important to me, and not just for the TV app, but for universal searches too. Once I search a movie and open it in a app that it is on, it will open and play it on the last profile that was used. This ends up having things watched on profiles other than the intended user.

Having multiple user support would also be nice for Game Center while playing games.

 

[sotiredofsoup]

For years I have wanted them to make remote audio available so I can mute the TV and plug headphones into my phone to listen. I don't think this will ever happen.

 

[McTool]

How about Siri in other countries?
Our neighbor country has it and we have the same language. That’s a bad .

 

[Juicy Box]

I would love for them to be a bit more liberal with controller support. Would be great to use a decent Bluetooth controller, such as Nintendo's or Sony's without having to jailbreak.

I would take it a huge step further and have Apple team up with Nintendo and have a virtual console with classic games. I am sure this would be huge with the popularity of the NES and SNES Classic editions.

Although, I doubt it will happen.

 

[hotstreaks]

Notification Center

to see if there's a missed call or unread text on the iphone

 

[Juicy Box]

For years I have wanted them to make remote audio available so I can mute the TV and plug headphones into my phone to listen. I don't think this will ever happen.

I haven't tried, but could you do this with BT headphones?

 

[unashamedgeek]

I want wish lists to sync.

 

[gowhitestripes]

My wishlist is much different:

- I'd like videos in the Photos app to support 4k

- I want better integration with my HomePod; meaning I want to turn on/off tv with my voice! And of course all of the other options like search.

- I want improved single sign-on; I am constantly being disconnected from my channel apps and have to re-login. Very annoying.

- I want them to fix the bug where the connection to the HomePod is disconnected

- I want MUCH better gaming

- I'd take Maps or Safari; not sure how much I'd use

- I still don't get the TV app. What can be done to improve?

- Lagging; on my Apple TV 4k I still get occasional lagging; even after I updated my HDMI cable to the latest (straight from the apple store)

- Can you please make my remote beep when it is lost? Find-my-remote would be helpful. Ha.

 

[JeremyPilcher]

I would welcome a TouchID Siri Remote to bring up curated content based on who unlocked it. And also to be able to set content restrictions as well as viewing limits on my kids.

 

[jetison]

Siri in other countries.

 

[theboyk]

I'd just like to be able to mark TV shows in my library as "watched" again...

 

[G-News]

Either Siri support in more countries or better yet, untying Siri support from your Apple-ID/iTunes country setting. The iPhone or iPad don’t tie you in, why does AppleTV?

It makes no sense and it seriously cripples the atv experience in the majority of countries.

 

[Chicken Waine]

I'd also like the TV to persistently connect to my HomePod.

Yes!

 

[hotstreaks]

NBA Hangtime

game for tvOS
most entertaining game ever.
originally on PS1 & N64

 

[69Mustang]

Atmos support - Apple promised to add Dolby Atmos support to the Apple TV, and has yet to do so. tvOS 12 would be the ideal time to do so, and it's certainly a feature many MacRumors readers want.

Or... when the ATV4K first went on sale would have been the ideal time to do so. Or the month after that. Or the next one, or...

But yeah, tvOS 12 would be ideal as well.

 

[JRobinsonJr]

• Screensavers from Photo Albums rather than shares
• Facetime!
• iMessages
• Notifications
• Multi-user / Profiles (with TouchID/FaceID/password's to switch between active users)
• More media on the screen (with 500+ movies it's really annoying to browse 8 at a time)
• Safari! (I know Apple doesn't like this, but customers do)
• Web-based TV Management
  • TV App Store
  • TV screens for organizing and managing apps
  • Logins
• Storage of media app logins (including TV providers) in KeyChain
• Seemless integration of streaming and local media from a designated Mac
  • e.g. I have music, videos, etc. that aren't in the cloud but want to play them on my TV
  • Having to switch to "Computer" then find the media is ... silly
• Local caching of streaming media
  • Either on the TV box or (even better) on a designated Mac
  • For media that I play frequently it's silly to continuously stream from the Internet
  • Example: my kid watches Frozen 3-4 times a day. If it was cached - even with a time limitation - it could be pulled from a local device.
  • Caching could also allow us to 'pre-download' streaming movies, allowing better 4k movie watching and eliminating interruptions
  • Consider this an advanced form of buffering

 

[DotCom2]

I haven't tried, but could you do this with BT headphones?

Yes, you can.

 

[iReality85]

- Widgets on the home screen.

- Larger album art.

- Better contour to the remote, particularly on the under side. Would help with knowing what orientation it's in when picking it up in the dark.

- Add a gyroscope/motion sensor and LEDs inside the remote, causing the remote buttons to illuminate when you pick it up.

- Add TouchID to the remote.

 

[DotCom2]

For years I have wanted them to make remote audio available so I can mute the TV and plug headphones into my phone to listen. I don't think this will ever happen.

Just pair some Bluetooth headphones. I've done it. It just works!

 

[gnomeisland]

Multiuser would be great but I'd settle for a more seamless "Family" support so all the media purchased/rented by designated family members would be shown at the same time.

Also, not an AppleTV things per se, but I'd love to see a "rent to own" option on iTunes. Where if you rent a movie and buy it within XXX hours (24? 48?) of finishing the rental your rental price is deducted from the purchase price. There already seems like a delay between "buying" something on the AppleTV and actually getting billed for it. Why not give me the option to convert the purchase if I decide a movie I just rented is something I'd actually like to own?
[doublepost=1527198352][/doublepost]

Yes!

Or at the very least be able to control my AppleTV with HomePod.