Last year, tvOS 17 brought quite a few useful new features to Apple TV. This time around, tvOS 18 is mainly about smaller new features in the video streaming space. There are fewer major changes to the controls, Home Screen, or other parts of Apple TV, but tvOS 18 is still worth looking forward to. In this overview, you can read exactly what’s new in tvOS 18: from the new InSight functionality to the much-needed improvement to HomeKit.
#1 InSight: Get insight into actors
One of the most important new features in tvOS 18 is the new InSight feature. You can find this in the video player in the TV app, and to start with it only works with movies and series from Apple TV+. InSight gives you more direct information about the actors who can be seen on screen. While the scene is playing, swipe down to see who they are. You’ll also find information about the song in the background music and can add it to your Apple Music library with one click.
#2 Improved dialogs for more devices
The Enhance Dialogs feature was introduced last year on Apple TV, in conjunction with the HomePod. The function ensures that speech sounds clearer compared to background noise and music. Starting with tvOS 18, it no longer works only with HomePods, but also with TV speakers, Bluetooth speakers, and even AirPods. There will also be an additional isolation mode for easier access, which will make sounds sound clearer.
#3 Automatic translations
In the area of translation, tvOS 18 gets another useful function. Subtitles now always appear automatically on screen if the language of a movie or series doesn’t match your system language. This won’t make much difference to us in the Netherlands if you watch a lot of English movies and series, but there’s one more thing. If you mute the audio, subtitles may also automatically appear on the screen if you turned it off by default. And if you rewind because you didn’t clearly understand what someone was saying, subtitles will also play automatically.
#4 Support 21:9 aspect ratio
Apple TV is also receiving support for the 21:9 aspect ratio in tvOS 18. This aspect ratio is often used with projectors. With support for this aspect ratio, you can take full advantage of the screen space you have. It also matches better with many films and series shot in this format.
#5 Renewable screensavers
With tvOS 18 there are also some new features in the field of screensavers. Existing screensavers containing nature images will be retained, but more will be added. For example, Apple TV will have screensavers of popular Apple TV+ movies and series, you can set your personal photos as a screensaver (with a time display, similar to the Apple Watch) and Snoopy will come to Apple TV with his own set of animated screensavers. We also know this from the Apple Watch, which was introduced as a watch face in watchOS 10.
#6 Custom size for home screen apps
Last year, Apple modified the Apple TV’s home screen so that six icons could be lined up instead of five. The size of app icons has been reduced for this purpose, but if you find that too small, tvOS 18 has a solution. There will be a setting that allows you to zoom in on parts of the screen. In the larger view, this means there are five icons next to each other on the home screen. So you’ll soon have a choice of six or five icons.
#7 Select the default camera for FaceTime
With FaceTime on Apple TV, you can make video calls on the big screen. However, you have to connect your iPhone every time and place it near your Apple TV to get a picture. In tvOS 18 there is an option to always leave a specific iPhone connected. Think of an iPhone that you no longer use and is sitting in a drawer somewhere doing nothing. Because it can stay connected, FaceTime on Apple TV is always ready to use.
See also
FaceTime on Apple TV: Expanded further in tvOS 17.2
Since tvOS 17, Apple TV has its own FaceTime app. This allows you to easily make video calls via Apple TV, which is especially useful if you’re sitting on the couch with multiple people. Here you can read how FaceTime works on Apple TV and what you can do if your Apple TV doesn’t fit.
#8 Improvements for TV apps
The TV app is getting some specific improvements in tvOS 18. For live streaming, live previews now appear as you navigate through the TV app, and you can first watch highlights of sports matches before watching live and it’s possible to watch them from your device. Movie collection library to the Movies page in the TV app. Currently, if you go to your movie library in the TV app and select a movie, it will start playing immediately. In tvOS 18, press and hold the button to go to the details screen so you can read more information.
The Fitness+ app on Apple TV will also be updated with a new main menu. However, this app is unfortunately not available in the Netherlands and Belgium, because the associated Apple Fitness+ service is not available here.
#9 Apple TV as a permanent home center
Important improvement for HomeKit users: With tvOS 18, it’s always possible to set a specific Apple TV as a permanent Home Hub. Typically, the Home app automatically selects the active home hub from all the Apple TV, HomePods, and HomePod minis in your home. But in some cases a specific center is preferred. Think of the wired Apple TV in the living room. Since you can set this as a permanent home hub in the Home app on Apple TV, your connection may be more reliable.
More about tvOS 18
tvOS 18 is the new major update for Apple TV for 2024. tvOS 18 is suitable for both Apple TV HD and all generations of Apple TV 4K. The tvOS 18 release date is scheduled to be this fall, at the same time as iOS 18 and other updates. Until then, the tvOS 18 beta is available.
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