Five New Features Coming in tvOS 18 This Fall

Alongside iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and the other fall updates, Apple plans to release an updated version of tvOS. Apple TV software updates often don't get much attention because they tend to introduce a limited number of new features, but there are some interesting additions coming this year.

  1. InSight - InSight is like Amazon X-ray, providing information about actors, character, and music from ‌Apple TV‌+ movies and shows in real-time. If you pause a show that's playing, you can see details on the actors, the song that's playing, and more. If you're using an iPhone as a remote for an ‌Apple TV‌, you can get InSight information right on your phone. Note that this feature only works with ‌Apple TV‌+ content right now.
  2. Enhance Dialogue and Subtitles - Enhance Dialogue is setting that already exists, but Apple is making it better with machine learning and computational audio improvements. It'll be better at improving vocal clarity over loud music, action scenes, and background noise. Plus Apple updated it so it works with HDMI-connected speakers, when playing content on ‌iPhone‌ and iPad, when using AirPods, and with other Bluetooth audio devices. As a bonus, Apple is also improving subtitles, so they'll appear intelligently such as when content is muted or when a TV show or movie is rewound.
  3. FaceTime Updates - When you use FaceTime with your ‌Apple TV‌ with an ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ as the camera, you can now see real-time Live Captions during the call. This works in English in the United States and Canada. Semi-related, there is a new option to use SharePlay so everyone can contribute songs to a party playlist by scanning a QR code.
  4. New Screen Savers - Apple is adding new screen saver options, including Portraits (shows your Portrait images), TV and Movies, and Snoopy.
  5. Projector Support - If you have a projector, you'll be pleased to hear that tvOS 18 adds support for the 21:9 aspect ratio used by most projectors.

What do you think of the new features coming in tvOS 18? Let us know in the comments below.

Popular Stories

apple intelligence black

Report: Apple's AI Strategy Could Finally Pay Off in 2026

Tuesday December 30, 2025 9:01 am PST by
Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues. The speculative report notes that Apple has taken a restrained approach with AI innovations compared with peers such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in data...
apple fitness 2026 1

Apple Teases 'Something Big' Coming Soon to Apple Fitness+

Tuesday December 30, 2025 2:11 pm PST by
The Apple Fitness+ Instagram account today teased that the service has "big plans" for 2026. In a video, several Apple Fitness+ trainers are shown holding up newspapers with headlines related to Apple Fitness+. What's Apple Fitness+ Planning for the New Year? Something Big is Coming to Apple Fitness+ The Countdown Begins. Apple Fitness+ 2026 is Almost Here 2026 Plans Still Under ...
maxresdefault

Hands-On With a Rough iPhone Fold Mockup

Monday December 29, 2025 10:55 am PST by
Apple is rumored to be introducing a foldable iPhone in September 2026, and since it will bring the biggest form factor change since the iPhone was introduced in 2007, curiosity about the design is high. A 3D designer created an iPhone Fold design based on rumors, and we printed it out to see how it compares to Apple's current iPhones. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max Users Report Static Speaker Noise While Charging

Tuesday December 30, 2025 10:39 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max owners are having trouble with the speakers of their devices, and have complained about a static or hissing noise that occurs when the iPhone is charging. There are multiple discussions about the issue on Reddit, the MacRumors forums, and Apple's Support Community, where affected users say there is a noticeable static noise "like an old radio." Some people report...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
samsung glitter blue

Samsung's Year End Sale Introduces Major Discounts on Popular Monitors and TVs

Monday December 29, 2025 6:29 am PST by
Samsung kicked off a new end-of-the-year sale this week, introducing great deals on monitors, TVs, Galaxy smartphones, and home appliances. Many of these deals are the exact same all-time low prices we tracked during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep ...
iOS 26 Glass Feature

The 5 Most Important Apple Software Features Introduced This Year

Tuesday December 30, 2025 1:00 am PST by
2025 was a significant year of advancement for Apple's software, with a noticeable focus on visual design, productivity, and communication. While Apple introduced and continued to iterate on a wide range of features throughout the year, several additions stood out for their scope and practical impact across multiple devices. As the year comes to an end, these five new features provide a...

Top Rated Comments

jz0309 Avatar
18 months ago
Nothing really compelling tbh…
I wish they would include my ripped movies in the ATV app vs the computer app.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
McWetty Avatar
18 months ago
And still no bitstream audio support…
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M67 Avatar
18 months ago
Still no dedicated Home app on the Home hub device.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MilaM Avatar
18 months ago
Apple TV does not need to change in my opinion. It does one thing and does it well. I would prefer though, if they did not break working features every other dot release.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
d5aqoëp Avatar
18 months ago
Apple can literally “KILL” the competition if they allow bitstream HD audio like DTS-HD and ATMOS. Ahh well. I will give my money to somebody else.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PsykX Avatar
18 months ago
tvOS doesn't really have much love since the very first day it has been released in 2015...
Back then, they were years ahead of the competition, nowadays everyone has caught up.
Oh well, I'm used to it, and I still prefer it over anything else.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)