The Apple TV, Apple’s wonderful streaming field slash HomeKit good residence hub, has a number of updates coming with tvOS 16. The replace is because of launch this fall, however if you wish to get a jump-start on the brand new options you may obtain the general public beta at present.

What are the brand new options on tvOS 16?

As my colleague Chris Welch famous following its announcement in June at Apple’s WWDC convention, the tvOS16 updates are comparatively minor. Although that’s to not say some individuals gained’t discover them helpful. Better cross-device connectivity between your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch could possibly be a boon to Apple Fitness customers, amongst others, and extra sport controller help — together with Nintendo Joy-Cons — will make for some enjoyable household sport nights in my family. There are additionally some enhancements coming to multi-user support on the AppleTV, in addition to a number of different tweaks and updates.

For customers of Apple’s HomeKit good residence platform, tvOS 16 will deliver help for Matter, though it gained’t go dwell till the usual is formally launched later this yr. Matter is a brand new good residence connectivity protocol that can permit extra gadgets to work within the HomeKit platform and be managed by voice by means of Siri. You will want an Apple TV or HomePod as a HomeKit hub to benefit from Matter in HomeKit. (Currently, it sounds prefer it gained’t work with an iPad as your property hub.)

Before you put in the beta

Be warned that there isn’t a going again as soon as you put in the beta. If you might have issues, which is at all times doable with beta software program, you’ll have to unenroll from the program and dwell with these issues till the official launch catches up along with your gadget. If you might have an Apple TV HD, you may restore it to its manufacturing facility settings, however that’s not an choice with the Apple TV 4K mannequin.

What gadgets help tvOS 16?

• Apple TV 4K (2021)
• Apple TV 4K (2017)
• Apple TV HD

Image: Apple

How to obtain tvOS 16 public beta

• Sign up for Apple’s beta program, or sign up in the event you’re an current member
• Once you’re signed in, click on on the tvOS tab
• If you haven’t participated within the beta but, you will want to enroll your Apple TV
• Now go to your Apple TV and entry the settings menu. Go to Accounts, and sign up with the identical Apple ID you used to register for the beta program.
• Next, go to Settings > System > Software Update and toggle on Get Public Beta Updates
• Update your Apple TV to the newest beta, and activate Automatic Updates (discovered on the identical display screen) to get the newest beta software program put in because it rolls out.