Along with iOS 8, Apple has also released the new Apple TV software update that's been in development for the last few months. The updated software includes new icons, which are designed to resemble the icons in iOS 7, taking on a flatter, less glossy look.

Several icons, like Music, Computers, and TV shows have new colors, and the on-screen fonts have been updated as well. The update includes support for several features that have been built into iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, like Family Sharing and iCloud Photo Support.

appletvupdate
With Family Sharing, families of up to six people with iTunes accounts that use the same credit card can share content like apps, iBooks, music, movies, and more, across all of their devices using iCloud. Family Sharing also lets families share photos, videos, a calendar, reminders, and more, to keep everyone in the family connected.

In addition to introducing a new look and new features, today's update brings a Beats Music channel to the Apple TV for the first time, allowing users to log into their Beats accounts to listen to streaming music from the Apple TV.

The new software can be downloaded for free on the Apple TV by going to the Settings channel and selecting General --> Software Update. The update is limited to users who have third-generation Apple TV boxes.

Top Rated Comments

Traverse Avatar
148 months ago
Another icon for me to hide.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
luckydcxx Avatar
148 months ago
Beats is hands down the best app for music! this is a great addition to ATV!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
576316 Avatar
148 months ago
There is an update for the Apple TV 2 but it doesn't apply any of the visual changes. Sad. There's no reason to alienate the Apple TV 2. This is hardly a big update.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArtOfWarfare Avatar
148 months ago
This is getting really redundant now...

Music, iTunes Radio, and Beats Music?

I know the difference between them, but it seems to me that a non-tech savvy person would have difficulty knowing the difference.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
William Gates Avatar
148 months ago
It would be nice to add continuity to the Apple TV where you could easily pick up a movie/tv show you were watching on your Apple TV on your iPhone or iPad. Say if you had to go to the kitchen for something and didn't want to miss or pause the video.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darkslide29 Avatar
148 months ago
I just purchased the Apple TV 3 with the $25 gift card promotion.
Will be selling my ATV 2 :)

Don't forget that the ATV2 can be jailbroken and there is a HUGE market for them on eBay for that reason, selling for at least a couple of hundred dollars.

Just in case you were going to get low balled by a company or friend.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

samsung crease less foldable display ces 2026%402x

Foldable iPhone's Crease-Free Display Tech Spotted at CES 2026

Tuesday January 6, 2026 3:04 am PST by
CES 2026 has just provided a first glimpse of the folding display technology that Apple is expected to use in its upcoming foldable iPhone. At the event, Samsung Display briefly showcased its new crease-less foldable OLED panel beside a Galaxy Z Fold 7, and according to SamMobile, which saw the test booth before it was abruptly removed, the new panel "has no crease at all" in comparison. The ...
iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
Apple Card iPhone 16 Pro Feature

Apple Card Will Move From Goldman Sachs to JPMorgan Chase

Wednesday January 7, 2026 12:57 pm PST by
JPMorgan Chase has reached a deal to take over operation of the Apple Card, reports The Wall Street Journal. Barring any "last minute hiccups," the deal should be announced shortly after over a year of negotiations. Reports began circulating over two years ago that current Apple Card issuer Goldman Sachs was looking to end its partnership with Apple as part of an effort to scale back on...
Logitech MX Master 3S

Logitech Blames 'Inexcusable Mistake' After Certificate Expiry Breaks macOS Apps

Wednesday January 7, 2026 5:27 am PST by
Logitech users on macOS found themselves locked out of their mouse customizations yesterday after the company let a security certificate expire, breaking both its Logi Options+ and G HUB configuration apps. Logitech devices like its MX Master series mice and MX Keys keyboards stopped working properly as a result of the oversight, with users unable to access their custom scrolling setup,...
AirPods Pro 3 Year of the Horse Feature

Apple Launches Year of the Horse AirPods Pro 3 for Lunar New Year

Monday January 5, 2026 11:28 am PST by
Apple has designed a limited edition version of the AirPods Pro 3 to celebrate Lunar New Year, and customers in select countries can purchase them starting today. The Year of the Horse Special Edition AirPods Pro 3 feature a unique horse emoji character that's otherwise unavailable. Customers in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore are able to buy the AirPods, and they'll be...
ChatGPT Health Integration Connectors Feature

OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Health With Apple Health Integration

Wednesday January 7, 2026 11:27 am PST by
OpenAI today announced the launch of ChatGPT Health, a dedicated section of ChatGPT where users can ask health-related questions completely separated from their main ChatGPT experience. For more personalized responses, users can connect various health data services such as Apple Health, Function, MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, AllTrails, Instacart, and Peloton. Last month, MacRumors discovere...
m4 macbook air blue 2

iPadOS and macOS 26.2 Double 5GHz Wi-Fi Bandwidth for Wi-Fi 6E Devices

Monday January 5, 2026 1:57 pm PST by
With the release of iPadOS 26.2 and macOS Tahoe 26.2, Apple has improved the Wi-Fi speeds for select Macs and iPads that support Wi-Fi 6E. Updated Wi-Fi connectivity specifications are listed in Apple's platform deployment guide. The M4 iPad Pro models, M3 iPad Air models, A17 Pro iPad mini, M2 to M5 MacBook Pro models, M2, M3, and M4 MacBook Air models, and other Wi-Fi 6E Macs and iPads now ...
iOS 27 Mock Quick

Five New iPhone Features Rumored for iOS 27

Wednesday January 7, 2026 2:51 pm PST by
Though it's been just a few months since iOS 26 launched, we're already hearing rumors about the next-generation version of iOS, iOS 27. iOS 27 will be introduced at Apple's June WWDC 2026 event before it launches in September 2026. We don't know all of the details about iOS 27 yet, but we do have some information about what to expect. "Snow Leopard" Update iOS 27 will apparently focus...