What's New in tvOS 16 for Apple TV: Features and Enhancements

[svish]

Not much change this year for tvOS.

 

[thatJohann]

Has anyone here installed tvOS 16 beta yet?

 

[Greggers135]

HDR10+ is a biggie. Some televisions (all Samsung TVs for example) do not embrace Dolby Vision and HDR10 IS the alternative.

Anyone know if the new Continuity Camera is available in tvOS 16? It seems like a natural since so many seem to want an easy way to FaceTime on the main TV. It's wireless and works with a simple, universal clip (by Belkin) with any monitor... so why not buy 2 clips and put one of them on the big TV? It seems like a big (niche) opportunity that perfectly fits all AppleTV setups (whether tucked behind the TV or off to the side or in a cabinet, etc where a built-in camera would not work well at all).

When Apple announced it, I actually thought of using it THIS way FIRST... even above the demoed use of making any computer monitor work with FaceTime. If any monitor, why not a TV "monitor?" Seems like a natural for AppleTV to me.

I don't think so, yet, and I thought the same thing. I think partially they need to allow/bring the communication apps over first/too.

 

[Lethen]

Any chance Danish language support finally arrived to Siri on tvOS?

 

[moabal]

RIP HDR10+ on tvOS 16. Hardly knew ya.

 

[somnolentsurfer]

Has anyone here installed tvOS 16 beta yet?

And has anyone tested to see if the Metal 3 code is included tvOS, even though it seems to require a minimum of A13 to run?

 

[il_teo77]

I posted this on another thread:

Home automation
Adding a Safari Browser
Announcing bigger commitment to gaming
Bundled Apple Controller
Landscape FaceTime
FaceTime integration with an iPhone or other Apple device, or add-on camera
Announce larger storage options
Easy connection to Hotels' Wifi feature (a web browser would work as well if there was one)
Choose what Aerials are shown
Allow for instant downloads of chosen Aerials
Better storage management and being able to see what the static storage space is taken
VPN support

Other people responded with some of their own, such as audio passthrough, a section showing apps that need to be updated, like iOS has for people that do not update automatically, and some others that I cannot remember at the moment.

I would love to have widgets or overlays for calendar, iMessage (reply via dictation), weather (it is somehow embedded if you ask Siri for the weather, it show something of an interface for it). The rest has pretty much been said. Imagine waking up in the morning and, while getting ready, having ALL the relevant information of the day on a BIG screen. Like some sort of “home hub” of all your stuff. Meetings, mails, messages, app information, weather, news, stocks and the like. That would be great instead of watching a gazillion little screens. Maybe with Siri summing it up for you.

Dear X, today is going to be sunny, x degrees, you have 4 meetings, at this and this time, this and this location.
Todays news are: title, title, title.

 

[leicaman]

If all it did was to allow for Keychain to keep me logged in without going through the nonsense we have to now (especially 2FA) I'd be ecstatic. The only way it would be better is if they let 1Password work with AppleTV.

 

[valkraider]

Many people don't want their "Smart" TV having a direct connection to the internet.

This.

Also, by using AppleTV devices all my viewings are synced everywhere - not always possible with smart TV apps.

But really - the reason some of the smart TVs are so “cheap” is they sell your data.

Also - using AppleTV means you only need to get used to one interface no matter the brand of TV.

 

[cfountain72]

What about a Sleep Timer?

As for future hardware,

• Make the remote support wireless charging.
• Make the Apple TV unit a wireless charger.
• Add a discreet Find My Remote button on the back of the unit that, when pressed, makes the remote beep so you can find the darn thing.

For what they charge, these seem like reasonable additions to me.

 

[Splutterbug]

What about a Sleep Timer?

As for future hardware,

• Make the remote support wireless charging.
• Make the Apple TV unit a wireless charger.
• Add a discreet Find My Remote button on the back of the unit that, when pressed, makes the remote beep so you can find the darn thing.

For what they charge, these seem like reasonable additions to me.

These are all amazingly good ideas!

 

[Peepo]

I wish there was a way to access Home other than long pressing the TV button on remote. I use Harmony and cannot access this button press. A Home icon would be preferable anyways all other devices do this way eg. iPhone, iPad, MacOS, not are why ATV doesn't have an icon.

 

[Juicy Box]

I wish there was a way to access Home other than long pressing the TV button on remote.

There is. Not sure how it works with the Harmony Remote, but the "TV" button on the Siri Remote used to be called the "Home" button.

Apple changed the function to the button a few tvOS versions ago, making it go to the TV App instead of home, but you can go into the settings and revert the function to make it the Home button again.

I personally hate it going to the TV app, and have all my ATVs' Remotes set to go to the Home Screen instead.

Here is instructions on how the change the settings, but it is pretty straight forward:

How to change the behavior of the TV button on your Apple TV remote

Learn how to change the behavior of the TV button on your Siri Remote and have it open the TV app or take you to the Home Screen.

www.idownloadblog.com

A Home icon would be preferable anyways all other devices do this way

That is how this button originally functioned:

 

[Peepo]

There is. Not sure how it works with the Harmony Remote, but the "TV" button on the Siri Remote used to be called the "Home" button.

Apple changed the function to the button a few tvOS versions ago, making it go to the TV App instead of home, but you can go into the settings and revert the function to make it the Home button again.

I personally hate it going to the TV app, and have all my ATVs' Remotes set to go to the Home Screen instead.

Here is instructions on how the change the settings, but it is pretty straight forward:

How to change the behavior of the TV button on your Apple TV remote

Learn how to change the behavior of the TV button on your Siri Remote and have it open the TV app or take you to the Home Screen.

www.idownloadblog.com

That is how this button originally functioned:
View attachment 2023575
View attachment 2023576

Thanks I will try that, but I also just discovered this... needs harmony hub which I have, and it works!

Pairing a Logitech Harmony Hub with Apple TV 4/4k using Bluetooth

By default, adding the Apple TV device on the Logitech Harmony Hub uses infrared. However, there is a method to use Bluetooth to control…

medium.com

 

[Firefighter2021]

While the Apple TV was an afterthought during the WWDC 2022 keynote, there is indeed a new tvOS 16 update for all Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K models, with the first beta released to developers for testing yesterday. Below, we've rounded up several new features and enhancements coming in the software update.

An overview of new tvOS 16 features for Apple TV:

• Cross-device connectivity: Apple says tvOS 16 enables developers to integrate their Apple TV app with their iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch apps to unlock new experiences that "feel more personal than ever." For example, developers can deliver more personalized workouts on the Apple TV based on motion sensor data from the Apple Watch, display real-time information on the iPhone while a video plays in their Apple TV app, or include more screens for gameplay.
• Expanded game controller support: Apple says many additional Bluetooth game controllers are supported on tvOS 16. Notably, this includes support for Nintendo's Joy-Cons and Pro Controller.
• HDR10+ support has been added to the Apple TV app (Update: Apple has since removed all mentions of this feature on its website, suggesting that this feature might have been abandoned or postponed).
• Multiuser improvements: tvOS 16 offers improved system integration for user profiles in Apple TV apps. Apple says with credentials stored in a shared keychain, users won't need to sign in and choose their profile every time they launch an Apple TV app that has been updated with this functionality.
• Matter support: Matter is a new standard that will enable compatible smart home accessories to work together seamlessly across multiple platforms, including Apple's HomeKit, Amazon's Alexa, and more. A home hub is needed to control Matter accessories in the Home app, which can be an Apple TV updated to tvOS 16 or a HomePod/HomePod mini updated to the latest software version.

Apple said the first public beta of tvOS 16 will be released in July, and the software update will be released to all users in the fall. It's likely that additional tvOS 16 features will be uncovered as beta testing continues over the next few months.

Article Link: What's New in tvOS 16 for Apple TV: Features and Enhancements

I want a facetime app , they should allow full facetime video call on the apple tv like how they allowed the iphone as a camera for mac os

 

[George Dawes]

I'd like a way of sorting movies and tv shows , maybe put them in folders for each genre , I'm having to scroll through hundreds now , maybe sorting by other types than name too ?

A gaming focussed atv would be nice - stick an M1 in it ???

 

[Splutterbug]

I wish there was a way to access Home other than long pressing the TV button on remote. I use Harmony and cannot access this button press. A Home icon would be preferable anyways all other devices do this way eg. iPhone, iPad, MacOS, not are why ATV doesn't have an icon.

I use it on my Harmony, I have the home button on the touch screen and a long press on that does the job

 

[Peepo]

I use it on my Harmony, I have the home button on the touch screen and a long press on that does the job

Yes I figured it out since and posted in a followup. I had to redo it using the bluetooth method.
Still doesn't help for a more basic Harmony remote I have with no bluetooth.