Apple TV is not altering a lot in 2025

Regardless of rumors of a serious redesign for Apple’s TV streaming platform, the forthcoming tvOS 26 replace doesn’t look all that totally different.

If you wish to see for your self, the general public tvOS 26 beta is now out there forward of a broader launch this fall. To put in it in your Apple TV, head to Settings > System > Software program Updates > Beta Updates, then select tvOS 26 Public Beta. (Commonplace beta disclaimer applies: Don’t attempt it until you’re ready for bugs.)

Simply don’t anticipate main adjustments from the present tvOS 18 software program. Whereas Apple’s updating its visible model and bettering some peripheral options, the expertise is about the identical, for higher or worse.

“Liquid Glass” redesign

Probably the most noticeable distinction is Apple’s new design language, which it’s calling “Liquid Glass.”

Apple describes the visible refresh with some flowery language—”extra expressive and pleasant whereas being immediately acquainted”—nevertheless it boils all the way down to having extra distinct borders round buttons and a translucent, frosted impact behind them. Probably the most noticeable flourish is the way in which buttons replicate what’s on the display screen, as seen when the sunshine from a video’s timestamp bounces off the buttons beneath.

Jared Newman / Foundry

The result’s each spectacular to behold and a bit distracting, as interface components now have a number of visible results flickering beneath them. It additionally comes at a computational price: Solely second- and third-gen Apple TV fashions (from 2021 and 2022, respectively) help the brand new look.

Visuals apart, tvOS 26 has practically identical format as earlier than. Apple’s TV app nonetheless opens with a click on of the house button—although savvy customers know to load the app grid by default as a substitute—and the association of menu objects is unchanged. The most important distinction is that film and present thumbnails in Apple’s TV app look extra like theatrical posters, with a portrait format.

Extra distinguished profiles

Jared Newman / Foundry

The opposite massive change in tvOS is the way in which Apple is pushing particular person consumer profiles.

Apple added help for a number of customers—every with their very own suggestions and “Proceed Watching” histories—again in 2019 with tvOS 13, however switching between profiles required digging by menus. With tvOS 26, you’ll see a profile choice display screen every time the gadget wakes up. (You can too disable this by heading to You’ll discover it below Settings > Customers and Accounts > Who’s Watching, then choosing “Final Profile” as a substitute of “Ask Each Time.”)

Jared Newman / Foundry

The system additionally encourages folks to make their very own profiles in the event that they’re a part of an Apple Household Sharing group, with advised icons on the profile choice display screen. Deciding on a advised profile will ship a notification to the consumer’s iPhone to allow them to full the setup.

Sadly, the extra distinguished profile selector doesn’t embody any new parental controls. Customers’ pleas for per-profile content material restrictions and Display Time integration stay unanswered. Nonetheless, eradicating the friction from profile choice might be useful in properties the place persons are continually muddling one another’s suggestions

New tvOS 26 options

The Apple TV’s subsequent software program replace additionally consists of some new methods, although most of them aren’t immediately associated to watching TV.

Apple Music’s karaoke mode, as an example, is extra distinguished now, with a devoted “Sing” shortcut on the house display screen. From right here customers can begin a brand new karaoke session and invite others to take part with a QR code. This ties into a brand new trick that lets customers sing into their iPhones and listen to their voice by the TV. The iPhone shows a menu for adjusting the singer’s quantity, including reverb, and turning the unique vocals up or down.

Apple

As earlier than, Apple Music Sing requires a third-gen Apple TV 4K from 2022; plus, an Apple Music subscription. To make use of the iPhone as a mic, each the Apple TV and iPhone should be operating tvOS 26, which implies you’ll have to enroll each units within the beta program to attempt it now. That’s in all probability not worthwhile until you’ll be able to tolerate a buggier iPhone for the subsequent couple of months.

Apple’s additionally including name notifications to tvOS 26. In the event you’re watching TV and a telephone or Facetime Audio name is available in, you’ll see an possibility to just accept it from the Apple TV display screen. The caller will then be positioned on maintain till you choose up the telephone.

A pair different little additions: In the event you route Apple TV audio by an AirPlay speaker, tvOS 26 will allow you to set it because the default audio supply, so it’ll join robotically after waking up or rebooting. There’s additionally a brand new manner for app makers to save lots of logins to your Apple account, so you’ll be able to register robotically on new units, although it’s unclear which apps will help this.

Don’t repair what isn’t damaged?

Jared Newman / Foundry

Apple TV remains to be my favourite streaming platform (even when I’m making an attempt to exchange it with a lounge PC as a substitute), so I don’t thoughts the dearth of sweeping adjustments in tvOS 26. Whereas different platforms are more and more targeted on extra intrusive adverts and additional menu muddle, Apple TV stays a calmer and cleaner different.

That’s not going to alter in tvOS 26, even when it comes with some fancy new visuals.

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