Release Date, Features & More

My home is almost exclusively Google TV, though I do have a Roku, a Fire Stick, and an Apple TV for when I want to play with another platform. Of those, the Apple TV is one of my favorite alternatives. I also appreciate that Apple seems to be a bit more proactive with updates and major new features than most other streaming devices. With tvOS 18, the Apple TV experience just got even better. Here’s everything we know about tvOS 18.

What is the most likely release date for Apple tvOS 18?

• tvOS 17 — September 18, 2023
• tvOS 16 — September 12, 2022
• tvOS 15 — September 20, 2021

Apple officially announced tvOS 18 at WWDC in mid-June. There’s no specific release date for tvOS 18 yet, though we can expect it to arrive in the fall. It’ll likely be around September, as that’s when new versions of the Apple TV software have historically launched.

Is there a beta version of Apple tvOS 18?

There is already a closed beta for developers, but Apple tvOS 18 will also get a public beta in July. There is no information about the exact date of the update, although we are already at the beginning of the month, so it should appear soon.

Apple officially unveiled tvOS 18 at WWDC. While it’s not a huge update compared to iOS 18, it’s certainly not without its fair share of new features.

Audio and visual fixes

First up, tvOS 18 now supports 21:9 projectors. There’s also a new feature that will improve dialogue, making it easier to hear on TV speakers, receivers, and AirPods. The feature works by improving voice clarity and sharpness using machine learning.

Automatic subtitles are also new in tvOS 18. They provide proper captions for shows and movies, even if the show’s language doesn’t match the user’s default language. The feature can also be turned on to see subtitles when you temporarily mute a show or movie.

Facetime gets LiveCaptions

FaceTime with Continuity Camera users will soon see live English captions in the U.S. and Canada, so they can read what other callers are saying right on their TV.

There are also new fitness features as the Apple Fitness+ app has been redesigned and is now more useful, including personalized spaces and improved rewards.

Guest mode is now available for Home compatible smart devices

The Home app has introduced a new guest access mode. It allows authorized users to grant guests control over locks and security systems, and even set individual or timed access.

The Photos app is getting a major overhaul and a few other improvements

Apple has also redesigned its Photos app. You now have new collections to help you better organize your content, making it easier to relive and find the photos that matter to you. There’s even a new carousel view that updates every day with new highlights, detailing photos of your favorite pets, places, people, and more.

Other improvements, including features that are not ready yet

As you can see, there are a few changes here, but that’s not all. Other improvements include new screensavers and a new InSight mode for Apple TV Plus subscribers, which works similarly to Prime X-Ray, showing information about the actors on screen and more. There’s also a new Apple Music SharePlay feature that lets you share control of music playing from your HomePod and HomePod Mini using SharePlay and Apple Music.

Finally, there are two features that have been announced but will not initially appear in the stable version of tvOS 18. These are support for spatial audio over AirPlay and the ability to control your robot vacuum directly from the Home app or via Siri.

tvOS 18 compatible

Apple has been pretty good about long-term support for its Apple TV hardware. Both tvOS 16 and tvOS 17 supported every Apple TV HD model released in 2015 or later, as well as every Apple TV 4K device. Surprisingly, that trend has continued with tvOS 18 compatibility, meaning that even Apple TV hardware that’s nearly a decade old is still getting this update. Not bad!