Apple Reveals tvOS 12 With Dolby Atmos Support for Apple TV 4K, Aerial Screensaver Updates, and More

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced tvOS 12, which will introduce support for Dolby Atmos surround sound technology in the Apple TV 4K. When the update appears later in the year, iTunes will automatically update compatible movies with Dolby Atmos support for free.

With the addition of Dolby Atmos, Apple said that this makes the Apple TV 4K the only streaming box with support for both 4K and Atmos. Additionally, iTunes will become the "home to the largest collection of Dolby Atmos-supported movies anywhere" after the update.

Apple also reiterated the Apple TV as a game-changer for the television market, announcing that cable company Charter Communications will begin offering the Apple TV 4K to its customers this year (in a similar vein to promotions from DirecTV Now). Secondly, customers will have access to live channels and thousands of on-demand programs through a new Spectrum TV app on tvOS and iOS.

Apple is upgrading Single sign-on for Apple TV and iOS with "zero sign-on," wherein the Apple TV detects the user's broadband network and automatically signs them in to "all the supported apps they receive through their subscription - no typing required." Zero sign-on support will launch with Charter in 2018 and roll out to other providers "over time."

The company is also upgrading Aerial screensavers in tvOS 12 with new Earth footage captured in collaboration with the International Space Station National Lab and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space. The screensavers have been taken by NASA astronauts and filmed in 4K HDR, and all Apple TV Aerial screensavers will now be more interactive with location information and swipe-to-change features through the Siri Remote.

A few other tvOS 12 updates include:

- With iOS 12, users can securely AutoFill passwords from iPhone and iPad to Apple TV to easily sign in to Apple TV apps.
- The Apple TV Remote will be automatically added to Control Center on iPhone or iPad for Apple TV users, giving users quick access to Apple TV controls.
- Home control systems like Control4, Crestron and Savant can be used to control Apple TV, including using Siri for voice search and control.

tvOS 12 will launch for all users as a free software update for the 4th generation Apple TV and Apple TV 4K in fall 2018.

Article Link: Apple Reveals tvOS 12 With Dolby Atmos Support for Apple TV 4K, Aerial Screensaver Updates, and More

 

[applemacfan007]

Probably the best news today!

 

[ryantbfh]

Finally! So excited. This will mean The Greatest Showman was the last 4K Blu-ray I will have ever bought.

Does anyone know when public will get the beta roughly?

 

[Lax608]

This is wonderful! Might be too early to ask, but I have an Atmos audio system in my theater room but only a 1080p projector, would I be able to use a 4K Apple TV and get Atmos audio? I would think so but Apple has a way of disappointing me sometimes.

 

[macpeach55]

Yessssss!

 

[Niclisten]

Probably the best news today!

Exactly what I was thinking and the presenter presented well. Unlike some of the others.

 

[Juicy Box]

Other features coming to tVOS include "Zero Sign-on," so that if you're on your TV provider's broadband network, Apple will securely unlock all apps connected to a subscription service.

This sounds interesting, but considering the major ISPs don't support SSO, I wonder how many tvOS users will ever actually be able to use ZSO.

Also, with so many ppl using alternative TV services such as Direct TV Now, I guess ZSO won't be an option for them.

 

[RamGuy]

Dolby Atmos is great and all. But until services like Netflix, Amazon Prime etc starts offering TV-shows and Movies with Dolby Atmos (they are mostly offering Dolby Stereo and Dolby Digital Plus) I won't really benefit anytime soon.

Sonos is also going to announce something new for the living room in two days and I'm eager to see if that might be a new sound bar solution offering Dolby Atmos. It would be the perfect timing.

 

[ThatGuyInLa]

All of FOX’s new 4K releases use DTSX. So I wonder if Apple will convert to ATMOS? Or only output DD+ for those?

Kind of odd they finally add ATMOS but leave out DTSX.

 

[Icaras]

Woohoo for this news!!

 

[GPDawes]

Agree I love DTS and DTS x . I wish more audio formats were supported. Vision wise apples support jpg,png,bmp raw and many more. Dolby vision, hdr .
Sound wise I feel let down . No hires yet, no dsf,dsd and when watching movies via VLC no DTS.


Consumers should have a choice of formats.

All of FOX’s new 4K releases use DTSX. So I wonder if Apple will convert to ATMOS? Or only output DD+ for those?

Kind of odd they finally add ATMOS but leave out DTSX.

 

[lparsons21]

Dolby Atmos is great and all. But until services like Netflix, Amazon Prime etc starts offering TV-shows and Movies with Dolby Atmos (they are mostly offering Dolby Stereo and Dolby Digital Plus) I won't really benefit anytime soon.

Sonos is also going to announce something new for the living room in two days and I'm eager to see if that might be a new sound bar solution offering Dolby Atmos. It would be the perfect timing.

Netflix already has some Atmos offerings though not many. VUDU also offers Atmos titles in their rentals. I think I saw something on Amazon that had Atmos but can't remember for sure. Like you, I wish there were more offerings.

I don't know what Sonos is going to announce, but Samsung already has a 5.1.4 Atmos soundbar and will be releasing their new 7.1.4 Atmos soundbar setup in the next few days.

BTW, the claim that ATV will be the only streaming box with Atmos and HDR is not true, the FireTV does it now.

 

[foxcub6]

Apple today announced that the Apple TV 4K will gain support for Dolby Atmos surround sound technology. When the update appears later in the year, iTunes will automatically update compatible movies with Dolby Atmos support for free.

With the addition of Dolby Atmos, Apple said that this makes the Apple TV 4K the only streaming box with support for both 4K and Atmos.

Other features coming to tVOS include "Zero Sign-on," so that if you're on your TV provider's broadband network, Apple will securely unlock all apps connected to a subscription service.

For the Apple TV's Aerial screensavers, you'll be able to tap to see descriptions of where each video was shot, and can swipe between screensavers. There will also be new Aerials of Earth taken from the International Space Station.

Article Link: Apple TV 4K Gaining Support for Dolby Atmos in 2018

I was hoping for Philips hue sync for the Apple TV maybe next year

 

[BJMRamage]

This sounds interesting, but considering the major ISPs don't support SSO, I wonder how many tvOS users will ever actually be able to use ZSO.

Also, with so many ppl using alternative TV services such as Direct TV Now, I guess ZSO won't be an option for them.

ZSO sounded so awesome...until they said, "when the TV Partners support it" it made me frown.
I kinda wish, since iOS can read QR Codes. that the Apps would have a QR code you could quick scan and be directed to a webpage to sign on without typing in the code or selecting "AppleTV" just a couple seconds off each time the app decides to make you sign on again.

 

[ersan191]

tvOS got straight up shafted this year. They spent 10 minutes talking about aerials for gods sake. I’m extremely disappointed. The ATV 4K is selling so well that you’d think they would spend at least a little development time on it...

 

[vipergts2207]

Well damn, now I've got an excuse to buy some Klipsch Atmos speakers.

 

[ersan191]

All of FOX’s new 4K releases use DTSX. So I wonder if Apple will convert to ATMOS? Or only output DD+ for those?

Kind of odd they finally add ATMOS but leave out DTSX.

Apple does not pay to license DTS

 

[BJMRamage]

tvOS got straight up shafted this year. They spent 10 minutes talking about aerials for gods sake. I’m extremely disappointed. The ATV 4K is selling so well that you’d think they would spend at least a little development time on it...

but AppleTV cannot to Memoji so...why give it any time at all.

 

[ersan191]

Netflix already has some Atmos offerings though not many. VUDU also offers Atmos titles in their rentals. I think I saw something on Amazon that had Atmos but can't remember for sure. Like you, I wish there were more offerings.

I don't know what Sonos is going to announce, but Samsung already has a 5.1.4 Atmos soundbar and will be releasing their new 7.1.4 Atmos soundbar setup in the next few days.

BTW, the claim that ATV will be the only streaming box with Atmos and HDR is not true, the FireTV does it now.

They specifically said Dolby Vision HDR because the vast majority of STB’s do not support Dolby Vision (because it costs extra to license), only HDR10 (which is free).

Whoever wrote the MR article misquoted, it should say Dolby vision and Atmos not 4K and Atmos

 

[d5aqoëp]

But will they allow for Dolby Atmos passthrough for apps like Infuse so that I can play my Linux ISOs with full audio fidelity and let my Atmos capable receiver do the decoding?

 

[macduke]

My soundbar blew up a few weeks ago. Hopefully the new one I bought supports Dolby Atmos. Didn't even think about stuff like this when buying. I still need to get a 4K TV. Probably early next year when there are sales.

 

[edw79]

BTW, the claim that ATV will be the only streaming box with Atmos and HDR is not true, the FireTV does it now.[/QUOTE]

One would have to rewatch the Keynote to be sure, but I believe they said it is the only one to be certified Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. The FireTV is certified for HDR 10, but not Dolby Vison. But my memory could be wrong.

 

[ThatGuyInLa]

BTW, the claim that ATV will be the only streaming box with Atmos and HDR is not true, the FireTV does it now.

One would have to rewatch the Keynote to be sure, but I believe they said it is the only one to be certified Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. The FireTV is certified for HDR 10, but not Dolby Vison. But my memory could be wrong.[/QUOTE]

Your memory is correct. ATV, (will be) the only streaming box to support both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. I've been dealing with 4K HDR discs because of this. I look forward to this!

 

[ErikGrim]

Zero Sign On. A tentpole feature - for people on a single internet provider, that’s also a cable company, in the us? Wut?

 

[tennisproha]

That zero sign on is ********. It's not going to work just like single sign on currently doesn't work. The problem is the providers also need to support that feature and they don't. When I try single sign in with directv now, it just gives you an error. And even when it used to work before, you still had to individually sign in the each individual app.

Apple's pretending like everything is Kumbaya, when in reality none of it actually ever worked.