Apple Releases tvOS 12.1 Update for Fourth and Fifth-Generation Apple TV

[MacRumors]

Apple today released tvOS 12.1, the second update to the tvOS 12 operating system designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 12.1 comes just over a month after the release of tvOS 12.0.1 and six weeks after the September launch of tvOS 12.

tvOS 12.1 can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System -> Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to tvOS 12.1 automatically.

It's not clear what new features or bug fixes are included in the tvOS 12.1 update. We didn't find any major new changes during the tvOS 12.1 beta testing period, and Apple doesn't provide release notes for tvOS releases, so there's not often a lot to go on.

If we discover what's new in tvOS 12.1, we'll update this post with additional information.

tvOS 12.1 follows the tvOS 12 update, which introduced support for higher-quality Dolby Atmos sound, zero sign-on, and new aerial screensavers created in collaboration with the International Space Station.

Article Link: Apple Releases tvOS 12.1 Update for Fourth and Fifth-Generation Apple TV

 

[GIZBUG]

“It's not clear what new features or bug fixes are included in the tvOS 12.1 update.”

I wish the articles on here, like this, gave readers relevant information....

 

[smithrh]

The problem is not with the article/MacRumors, but rather with Apple who discloses almost nothing, next to nothing, and many times nothing at all.

 

[funone0]

exactly

 

[Mefisto]

Let's see if this, in combination with iOS 12.1 stops the constant notifications for keyboard entry on my phone! It would be nice if that's the case.

 

[BuffaloTF]

12.0 didn't introduce Zero Sign On. We're still waiting for that.

Let's see if this, in combination with iOS 12.1 stops the constant notifications for keyboard entry on my phone! It would be nice if that's the case.

That's a feature, not a bug.

 

[Mefisto]

That's a feature, not a bug.

A very much doubt it's a feature that the phone wants me to start typing while watching a show on Netflix, for example. Or just scrolling though the home screen. Or just launching an app, any app. Or wanting me to type something in the middle of the night while I'm asleep in the other room.

But maybe I've misunderstood the feature.

edit: Damnit, it happened again. While watching TV on another input than the one the aTV is on.

 

[M.Rizk]

A very much doubt it's a feature that the phone wants me to start typing while watching a show on Netflix, for example. Or just scrolling though the home screen. Or just launching an app, any app. Or wanting me to type something in the middle of the night while I'm asleep in the other room.

But maybe I've misunderstood the feature.

edit: Damnit, it happened again. While watching TV on another input than the one the aTV is on.

I have had the Apple TV 4k for a month and never got such a notification unless there was a text field on screen. Weird.

 

[Mefisto]

I have had the Apple TV 4k for a month and never got such a notification unless there was a text field on screen. Weird.

Yeah it seems to be pretty rare from what I've read. The only thing that helps (for a while at least) is un- and then repairing the phone with the aTV, but it's a drag to do that every few hours.

Oh well, it could be worse, I suppose. Not that hard to just ignore the notification.

 

[scorpio333]

My 4K ATV stopped with the constant notifications, but the 4th gen started doing it again. I had unpaired/repaired my phone to each a week or two ago.

I'm definitely not updating until I find what exactly the update features.

 

[NM Bound]

Dear Apple,
Thanks for nothing. I've invested a lot of money over 3 decades in your products and ecosystem including several Apple TV's. I'm pretty sure I don't understand or utilize many of the outstanding features you engineer into your consumer infrastructure which includes the latest and greatest TV OS upgrade. I might buy an Apple Watch now that I can see the value of monitoring personal health reports I can forward to my physician; I'm getting old and there could be life-extending benefit from understanding issues and events linked to my heart and/or falling down which the watch will record.

But every few months when your firm has an opportunity to reveal 'THE NEXT BIG THING' in the Apple universe, it quickly disappoints, underwhelms and serves one more marketing opportunity to hawk products like so many seasonal runway model events in the personal lifestyle clothing world. And of course, when I really need to make a fashion statement, I end of buying a shirt at Walmart because it's cheap and functional.

But I digress...
NM Bound
Las Cruces, NM

 

[mjharwaz]

A very much doubt it's a feature that the phone wants me to start typing while watching a show on Netflix, for example. Or just scrolling though the home screen. Or just launching an app, any app. Or wanting me to type something in the middle of the night while I'm asleep in the other room.

But maybe I've misunderstood the feature.

edit: Damnit, it happened again. While watching TV on another input than the one the aTV is on.

Do you have just the one Apple TV in the home? I know I've had mine come up while watching in one room when someone in another room hits a data entry field...

 

[dbf7]

There’s a ton of security updates listed in 12.1: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209194

 

[Mefisto]

Do you have just the one Apple TV in the home? I know I've had mine come up while watching in one room when someone in another room hits a data entry field...

Just the one aTV here. It's been behaving again for the last couple of hours, so let's see how it goes moving forward.

 

[Dr. Scott]

My YouTube is broken now.
Anyone else seeing their videos playing behind the tiles and left side menu that stay on screen?

 

[SureType]

Anyone else only getting 2.0 audio output from Netflix and Amazon Prime? iTunes movies are 5.1.

 

[Hennesie2000]

Yeah it seems to be pretty rare from what I've read. The only thing that helps (for a while at least) is un- and then repairing the phone with the aTV, but it's a drag to do that every few hours.

Oh well, it could be worse, I suppose. Not that hard to just ignore the notification.

It happens to me too. Usually I’ve stopped watching a movie on Infuse and it is child protected so it is asking me to input the pin code but I am watching something in a different app.

 

[Mefisto]

It happens to me too. Usually I’ve stopped watching a movie on Infuse and it is child protected so it is asking me to input the pin code but I am watching something in a different app.

As far as I can tell it's different for me, nothing going on with any protection PINs, Infuse or anything like that. But it could be that I misunderstood your post.

And just as luck would have it, I'm currently in this thread replying to replies to my crying about a bug that, at the moment, is conveniently absent, once again.

Let's see how the story develops. Currently smooth sailing and no undue notifications after the un-/repairing extravaganza last night. Could it actually be fixed? More on that later.

 

[Beyo]

The problem is not with the article/MacRumors, but rather with Apple who discloses almost nothing, next to nothing, and many times nothing at all.

So what the point MacRumors have in writing articles that literally means nothing? Each owner of Apple TV sees when it's update available anyway.

 

[surfacewound]

My 4K ATV just randomly started to say that I have no movies in the iTunes movies app. If I restart the ATV they're back, but within an hour or two they'll be all gone all over again saying I don't own any movies, until next restart. I was really hoping 12.1 would magically fix this but nothing, and googling the issue shows some old threads of people with similar problem but no resolution. Re-authenticating with iTunes has no effect, and all of my movie purchase are always properly shown and available in the Apple TV iOS app while the ATV shows an empty library with no purchases.