tvOS 26.4 Adds These New Features to Your Apple TV

[Momof2.1107]

It would be nice if Apple would release an updated AppleTV, so I can partake in all of the new features. I can’t use all of the features since I have the 1st generation 4K TV and I refuse to upgrade as it’s been too long since the last release of an AppleTV, so I’ve been waiting for an updated version.

 

[Crom!]

could avoid the handshake issues by allowing pass through audio but i guess apple has to be apple and do apple things.....

 

[xxray]

Too bad it still hasn’t fixed the bug where, when using the HomePods as speakers, any playback speed above 1 in any app (YouTube, Infuse) distorts the audio to the point of being unlistenable.

This has been broken since 26.1.

 

[HouseLannister]

I am so happy to see the Continuous Audio Connection setting. First time I have been excited about a tvOS update. Previously, every time Netflix cut to an ad break and the audio switched from Atmos to stereo, when the commercial ended the soundbar would no longer work and would need to be power-cycled. Super annoying. Here's hoping its fixed now.

 

[nt5672]

I really wish they would’ve kept the movies app the way it was, don’t love clunking around the Apple TV app.

Since Cook does not understand software, he just lets the minions do as they wish.

And it seems that Apple's software developers deem different as innovation, ignoring decades of usability studies and knowledge.

 

[DNichter]

well it broke my remote volume because it doesn't connect with my tv anymore

Same for me, an unpair and repair of the remote fixed. It was a pain at firs though.

 

[CouponPages]

What I'd REALLY like to see are 3 things:

1. REAL Profiles, so that each user sees THEIR photos in the Photos App.

2. Better support for ALBUMS in Photos, instead of a handful of random albums.

3. SEARCH in Photos. It's nearly impossible locating photos right now. If nothing else, I'd be happy with a quick way to jump to a month or even a year.

 

[Xavier]

Release a new, updated Apple TV please. I am holding out and my main TV really could use one.

 

[tobybrut]

Continuous audio connection has been a godsend for people who own Sonos sound bars. There was always a really annoying period of time when you first play audio of any kind on the Apple TV and there would be a delay before the soundbar would make any sound at all. That is now gone. Sound starts instantaneously and stays connected. The soundbar no longer goes to sleep while my Apple TV is on, creating yet another delay before it wakes up. This is the best feature in tvOS in years.

 

[Neonblue]

For me binning the redundant TV and Movies apps finally is a highlight.

 

[gnesterenko]

Sigh. One day we'll get proper pass-through of high-def audio formats on ATV devices. I choose to believe...

 

[turbineseaplane]

I'm still using tvOS 18 honestly.

None of this 26 stuff, even just on tvOS, interests me at all.

 

[Velora Bloom]

Well them working on audio is great to read. Just gotta make the basic feature audio passthrough and it’d be a great device for me!

 

[whiteonline]

Same for me, an unpair and repair of the remote fixed. It was a pain at firs though.

Next time, try rebooting the remote. Hold the tv and volume down button for like 10 seconds

 

[Belisama]

Continuous Audio Connection' keeps the audio connection active, preventing audio from cutting out and popping on a receiver or soundbar such as Sonos. The audio is sent decoded as uncompressed PCM (Dolby MAT) to also avoid volume fluctuations.

This does not mean that all content is now output as Dolby Atmos audio. Dolby MAT is simply an uncompressed PCM audio signal with the option of metadata - stereo is still stereo. If your receiver reports Atmos on the display when the source is not Atmos, it has been misconfigured by the manufacturer and you should consider turning off the new audio feature.

Please note that the audio feature only works on Apple TV 4K (2nd and 3rd Gen) and only if an Atmos-compatible sound system is connected.

I have gen 3 Apple TV and an Atmos-compatible audio system (Sonos Arc Ultra).
Yet, the new setting is not visible.

 

[Lounge Deluxe]

Not much new in 26.4 that's usable to me, but then I only use the Apple TV for connecting to my NAS through the awesome Infuse app. A golden combo for many years now.

 

[smithrh]

The issue with the volume controls ceasing to work has been around for years, it's not new.

To reset the remote, just hold down the TV/control center button and the volume down button at the same time for 5 seconds.

 

[Sean Patrick]

The new audio setting is not showing up on my 3rd gen 4k. Cool.

 

[groove-agent]

I noticed more recently an issue with my Apple TVs where video audio/ video would play back faster than normal. I wonder if it has to do with switching between different streaming apps that use different sample rates for audio. It hasn't 't happened since I updated.

 

[csnwbd2251]

well it broke my remote volume because it doesn't connect with my tv anymore

Did the same on my LG OLED of about 7yrs. I had to turn on "deep color" for that HDMI port then reboot the TV. Don't know why it worked before the update but it turned off (disabled) audio control for TV until I turned on deep color...

 

[_barat_]

TrueHD and DTS-HD MA passthrough maybe? Or 120Hz HDR support somewhere in the code that spoils new device capabilities? 😉
Would be awesome.

 

[ubersoldat]

Why do I have to see Heidi Klum on the home screen every day?

 

[Javageek]

The iTunes Movie and TV shows apps are still there after the update.

 

[Rob55431]

Not available on 1st gen Apple TV 4K, unfortunately 😕

I have Gen 3 (A2843) and I don’t have these updates. I have tvOs 26.4 (23L243)

 

[bigheaddoug]

I’ll share this here in case it helps someone else. This update made my Insignia sound bar stopped working properly. The mute button on the Apple TV remote would not do anything.

The fix was for me to turn off the new continuous connection feature, delete the sound bar remote in Apple TV settings and re-pair the sound bar remote again. After I did that, everything is working fine.