Apple Seeds Fifth Beta of Upcoming tvOS 13 Update to Developers

[MacRumors]

Apple today seeded fifth beta of an upcoming tvOS 13 update to developers, almost two weeks after seeding the fourth beta and more than a month after unveiling the tvOS 13 software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the new tvOS 13 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode.

tvOS 13 introduces an updated Home screen aimed at making it easier to discover new content. Apps are now able to play full-screen video previews right on the Home screen, similar to Netflix.

Multi-user support is available for the first time, letting more than one profile exist on the Apple TV so each family member can have their own customized Apple TV interface with separate recommendations, music playlists, and Watch Now lists.

Switching between profiles can be done with the new Control Center, which offers up profiles, the time and date, search, a Now Playing widget, AirPlay controls, and a sleep option.

tvOS 13 gets the Apple TV ready for Apple Arcade, Apple's new gaming service that's coming to the Apple TV, iOS, iPadOS, and macOS later this year. Apple Arcade will offer unlimited access to more than 100 new and exclusive games, for one subscription fee.

As part of the Apple Arcade preparations, Apple has implemented support for the Xbox Wireless Bluetooth Controller and the PlayStation DualShock 4 Controller, both of which can be connected to an Apple TV over Bluetooth.

There are new under the sea themed screensavers created in partnership with the BBC Natural History Unit, which also created "Blue Planet." There's also a new Picture-in-Picture feature. Picture-in-Picture lets you continue to watch TV shows or movies while using a different app, adjusting settings, or otherwise navigating through the tvOS 13 operating system.

tvOS 13 is available to registered developers and public beta testers at this time and will see an official public launch this fall alongside iOS 13, iPadOS, macOS Catalina, and watchOS 6.

Article Link: Apple Seeds Fifth Beta of Upcoming tvOS 13 Update to Developers

 

[PastaPrimav]

Would love to install this one, but feedback thus far is that it has been a disaster. Interested to hear if beta 5 brings it anywhere near usable.

 

[iGeneo]

Would love to install this one, but feedback thus far is that it has been a disaster. Interested to hear if beta 5 brings it anywhere near usable.

Disaster? I've been running it for several weeks on two AppleTV's without issue. I did read where the trailers app will crash, but I rarely us that anyhow..

It is VERY usable

 

[PastaPrimav]

Disaster? I've been running it for several weeks on two AppleTV's without issue. I did read where the trailers app will crash, but I rarely us that anyhow..

It is VERY usable

Thanks. Unfortunately too many other people feel otherwise.

Far too often people who use 1 app or 1 flow pattern report "everything working fine".

 

[christian.terra]

Thanks. Unfortunately too many other people feel otherwise.

Far too often people who use 1 app or 1 flow pattern report "everything working fine".

Not sure what apps you use, but I use Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, Prime Video, YouTube and DirectTV Now, as well as photos at times. The only app that gives me problems is DTNow, which isn't surprising as even on release versions of TVOS it was buggy. Haven't had a single issue that wasn't fixed with a restart. I airplay to my homepods too and works the same as it did on 12.4.

I don't use the TV app or any other Apple app so can't comment on those. I'd say it's decent for every day use.

 

[iGeneo]

Thanks. Unfortunately too many other people feel otherwise.

Far too often people who use 1 app or 1 flow pattern report "everything working fine".

That's hardly the case... I use 7-8 apps on a very regular basis.

Music, TV, Philo, TwiT, Photos, Netflix, Prime, Podcasts, Hulu

Zero crashes... Music was slow to get Lyrics on first launch, no issues otherwise.

Can you cite threads here? I'd like to see what I've been missing.

 

[Kaibelf]

Would love to install this one, but feedback thus far is that it has been a disaster. Interested to hear if beta 5 brings it anywhere near usable.

Unusable? Aside from people using their TV as a jukebox and a handful of app-specific issues, it seems to work.

 

[AlyMourad]

It was very usable until it froze one day and when I restarted it, it was bricked

 

[smithrh]

Also running the beta x2. No issues.

 

[Braderunner]

Thanks. Unfortunately too many other people feel otherwise.

Far too often people who use 1 app or 1 flow pattern report "everything working fine".

I can tell you that so far, it has been a disaster. I use mine to play Apple Music. I'm not even going to go into all the problems that occur just doing that. I'll have to wait for next public release of this beta to see if it's any better. But, I can say that Apple would have to work pretty hard to make it any worse.
Also, let me say this to anyone who disagrees with me...you're right!

 

[DaveOP]

Thanks. Unfortunately too many other people feel otherwise.

Far too often people who use 1 app or 1 flow pattern report "everything working fine".

This works both ways. As nearly everyone in this thread has said, this beta has been working fine for me as well. Netflix, Youtube, Youtube TV, Hulu, Apple apps, CNN, Twitchy, I could go on and on, all seem to work fine. I have had no issues since the first Beta. You don't need to jump in, but you don't need to be condescending to other posters either or call their experiences bogus.

 

[tekie99]

Atmos support has been a disaster since the last beta.. hopefully its fixed in this one... Anything Atmos has constant drop outs, Movies, Netflix, Hulu, etc...

 

[Eorlas]

Thanks. Unfortunately too many other people feel otherwise.

Far too often people who use 1 app or 1 flow pattern report "everything working fine".

It's YMMV for sure. It is far from "unusable" as someone who has had it since B1. I'll be clear about what my problems have been:

-I had the video playlist sleep issue that was a known issue according to the B1 notes
-I've had Netflix lockup entirely
-I've had the system require restarts to function
-B3 - > B4 required a restore because the update would fail
-I had a recent issue with Netflix in B4 that would cause videos in a playlist to start playing partway through the next episode (Netflix)

These were annoying for sure, but the system still has, for the most part, functioned normally and was far from being unusable.

Steam Link & a PS4 controller have worked swimmingly, as an example. Netflix works otherwise without hindrance. I have streamed 4kHDR films across the network with Infuse and Plex without issue.

Looking forward to B5's improvements as iOS has been particularly better performing since I installed it today.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Xcode 11 beta 5 is out, but don't upgrade to it yet.
Wait until macOS Catalina beta 5 comes out.

 

[ErikGrim]

Would love to install this one, but feedback thus far is that it has been a disaster. Interested to hear if beta 5 brings it anywhere near usable.

Beta 4 settled things down for me. I had to reinstall a bunch of apps that kept forgetting logins, and now everything is running pretty smoothly.

 

[uptownnyc]

Anyone got a fix for logging into NickJr app? Right now it hangs on the auth screen with no code to enter on the web.

 

[JonoH]

It was very usable until it froze one day and when I restarted it, it was bricked

My issue too!

1 of my 2, 4K boxes died..

I now have a brick which ill take back to replace. the UI was very delayed and stuttery.

the new beta seems to be smoother for now. the last failed to updated a few times and I had to reset it before it updated.

 

[Marshall73]

Would love to install this one, but feedback thus far is that it has been a disaster. Interested to hear if beta 5 brings it anywhere near usable.

Your mileage may vary. HDMI power issues on 4K model freezing and poor performance in Netflix (likely the Netflix app). Plus on the 4K you have no way of going back to non beta as it’s not got a USB port.

 

[eekcat]

Wish I could install it - every time I check for an update, it says my AppleTV 4K is already up to date. I reinstalled the profile, no luck. (oddly enough, the use-betas option no longer exists in that system menu either)

 

[AlyMourad]

My issue too!

1 of my 2, 4K boxes died..

I now have a brick which ill take back to replace. the UI was very delayed and stuttery.

the new beta seems to be smoother for now. the last failed to updated a few times and I had to reset it before it updated.

Yeah but you guys have an Apple store. We in Egypt don't.
I'll have to wait till I travel abroad. meanwhile I already bought another one but no way I'll install the beta on it

Let me know if they replaced yours for free please

 

[Jimmyjamh]

Thanks. Unfortunately too many other people feel otherwise.

Far too often people who use 1 app or 1 flow pattern report "everything working fine".

It’s largely been usable for me too. However, my 4K got bricked two weeks ago and now the replacement got bricked last night. This isn’t great.

 

[jbindy1]

Disaster? I've been running it for several weeks on two AppleTV's without issue. I did read where the trailers app will crash, but I rarely us that anyhow..

It is VERY usable

I have it on my Apple TV and it works well. My spouse has used it 18 hours a day recovering from shoulder surgery. No crashes and apps work